We are the Lights
by Wild Blue Sonder
Summary: The Rowdyruff Boys return to Townsville to fulfill a contract only to discover that everything has changed since they were kids, the Powerpuff Girls most of all. No longer self-titled superheroes, they desire to live as ordinary young women. The Boys are affronted. Why would they want that when the six of them were designed to outshine humankind?
1. Hello, it's Me

**A/N**  
Part two of the **We** series. Yet another high school fic because I'm AU trash. Rated T for language and teenage drama. Color-coded ships are implied so if you don't like, don't read. Reviews are appreciated.

 **Disclaimer** : Powerpuff Girls belongs to Craig McCracken and Cartoon Network. This is a non-profit derivative work of fiction. Please support the original series.

* * *

 **Chapter One: Hello, it's me**

"Never thought I'd see this shithole of a town again."

Brick did not share Butch's sentiment. 'Townsville' had been enough of a misnomer when they were kids, but since their departure it had clearly grown into a thriving metropolis. Gleaming skyscrapers constructed with state-of-the-art techniques rose up all around them and were networked by asphalt roads utterly lacking imperfections, and avant garde architecture was visible in bridges and buildings. Everything was so flawless, so pristine, so unnaturally _perfect_ it was hard to believe this was the city of their origin, the same city plagued by genetic abominations in their youth. But genetics were likely the key factor behind Townsville's impressive expansion and makeover; after all, it became a hub for biological sciences after Project X was revealed.

Better known as the Powerpuff Girls by the adoring residents.

They were the world's first fully genetically engineered humans. The creatures they fought and the criminals they incarcerated were merely trials to help them hone their abilities, help Professor Utonium study the effects of Chemical X. He was the only person on Earth who knew how to synthesize it correctly, a secret he would take to the grave. Various derivatives existed but they were impure and unstable compounds based off research notes leaked by Utonium's former colleague, a woman exiled from the scientific community for her unethical experiments. Governments and regimes around the globe tried using those notes to engineer their own super soldiers but the results were often catastrophic. The Rowdyruff Boys had made a very lucrative living off cleaning up other people's failures.

As they traveled between countries they attracted attention from members of society's seedy underbelly, establishing themselves as skilled mercenaries. Stage a coup here, assassinate someone there, rescue important people from their vile kidnappers, etcetera. Their favorite jobs were the ones involving the procurement of failed X-periments. The test subjects always went rogue and destroyed most if not all of the facility that spawned them, the Boys being exclusively equipped to handle the aftermath. They were famous in certain circles but Townsville didn't even know they were still alive and kicking. Brick liked having a blank slate upon which to build a new reputation.

They were back and deadlier than ever. However, the man who had hired them said the job required little to no force and discretion was of the utmost importance. The Boys had, in essence, returned to Townsville to live like ordinary innocuous teenagers… or at least as ordinary as they could be with superpowers.

"Where are we going?" Boomer asked with his face pressed against the window, wide blue eyes taking in as many details of their new-old home as possible.

Brick sighed. "To meet our patron at the penthouse he's putting us up in." He had already said that twice today.

"He gonna give us cars, too?" Butch wondered.

"No, I didn't negotiate personal vehicles as part of our contract. We can _fly_." The brothers rolled their eyes at one another, then Brick glowered when he thought he heard their driver chuckle. He gladly would have flown himself to their residence if he knew where it was. Instead he folded his arms and continued watching storefronts pass by. Yoga studio, bakery, salon, pet store, café, bookstore, pharmacy, tech shop…

The limo pulled into the parking lot of what was easily the second-tallest building in the city, the first being a massive communication tower at the epicenter. Brick craned his neck, spying the gaudy dollar sign indicative of the family who owned it. After the driver let them out another well-dressed man escorted them onto an elevator where he pressed a button and said nothing as it ascended 85 floors. The three boys walked right through an open set of double doors, finding movers and decorators situating furniture just-so. A man standing in the middle of the living room turned around and grinned. "Good to finally see you in person, Rowdyruffs."

"Mister Morbucks," Brick greeted, shaking his hand.

"Please, just call me Max." He was portly, balding, and wore a forest green suit contrasting his red hair. His mustache wasn't really doing his large nose any favors. "Take a look around and let me know if I need to make changes." The trio separated at that, Butch and Boomer darting upstairs as Brick approached a door to the far right. A king-size bed occupied most of the master bedroom along with a huge dresser, desk, bachelor's chest and media cabinet. The bathroom lacked an actual bath but made up for it with two sinks, ample counter space, and a shower that was so large he could turn in a circle without touching any of the stone walls. Maximilian Morbucks poked his head in. "I had a feeling you'd gravitate toward this room."

"You don't know anything about me," Brick refuted.

"I know you're a hard worker, and men like you need a sanctuary where they can relax and unwind after a long day." Brick shut the door behind him with a noncommittal grunt, admiring the panoramic view of the ultra-modern city. The kitchen featured granite countertops and stainless steel appliances, and the dining room had a table big enough to seat eight people. There was also a sideboard with a bottle of champagne on it. "To toast the success of your mission," Max explained when Brick's gaze lingered on it.

Preemptive celebrations were bad luck; he'd save it for afterward. "What sort of time frame are you expecting? That was the one detail your contract didn't explicitly state."

The man's shoulders rose and fell. "That's because I don't know exactly how long it'll take to shut down each of my rivals. Some will be easy, some will need to be thoroughly researched, and some will require you to get creative. I hired you because I know you can be covert even though your MO is to barge in with hands blazing."

"That's Butch's way of handling things," Brick corrected. "I consider myself much more tactful."

"Well, good. You'll need to be in order to navigate high school without arousing suspicion."

His eyebrows about shot off his face. "What?"

"I've enrolled the three of you in Townsville High School for junior year," Max explained, gesturing flippantly. "It's the perfect cover."

"But I… we… That wasn't…" Brick took a deep breath to calm himself, red ebbing from his vision. "Nowhere in the contract did it say anything about us having to attend _school_."

"I know I can't force you, but I do believe it would provide an alibi should anyone begin investigating."

"We won't give them a reason," Brick said.

Max's smile resembled more of a smirk. "Ah, the arrogance of youth. You and your brothers might be superhuman but you're still only seventeen."

Maroon eyes narrowed to slits. "Do _not_ condescend me." They stared at one another for a long minute, the man glancing away as Brick raised his chin in triumph. This wasn't the first time an employer thought they had an advantage over the Boys because of their age. Anyone who tried to manipulate, cheat, deceive, or otherwise screw them over had quickly been reminded of their true nature as biological weapons. They were beyond human limitations hence their services didn't come cheap. "So you're all right with us taking as long as necessary to fulfill the contract?" Brick asked to diffuse tension.

"Yes, I am," Max confirmed.

"And you think we should maintain a guise as students while dealing with the names on the list you provided."

"I just thought it was a plausible reason for you to return to Townsville."

It was, but Brick wasn't going to admit it. "Do we have schedules already? What classes do Butch and Boomer need to prepare for?"

"Well, the system has changed a bit. Did you three even go to elementary school?" Brick shook his head. Their education was of a more worldly variety, although they had studied certain subjects on their own. "In that case, I'll give you a quick rundown. Your first day is September tenth. On the eighth you'll take a series of aptitude tests to be placed in the appropriate core classes for math, English, science, and history, then you choose some electives. Student orientation is held on the ninth. You can tour the campus, meet teachers, sign up for teams and clubs and such. School days begin at seven and end at three p.m."

That didn't sound like anything they couldn't handle. "I appreciate the info," Brick said. "Now if you don't mind, we'd like to settle in."

"Of course, of course…" Max backed toward the front door, pausing at the threshold. "You know, Townsville isn't anything like it was when you were kids. Might I suggest you three do a bit of exploring?" The boy's hum was enough for Mr. Morbucks. He flashed a tentative smile and left.

Brick leaned against the kitchen counter, parting his lips after ten seconds. "Butch! Boomer!"

They answered his summons immediately, both vibrating with excitement. "Bro, you gotta check out the rest of this place! There's a fuckin' _pool_ on the roof!"

"With a hot tub!"

"That's great," he said dismissively, handing them their house keys. "Listen, I'm about to tell you something you probably won't like, but it is what it is." Their enthusiasm waned. "We're going to pretend to be high school students while we're here."

"Really? Sweet!" Butch beamed. "I'm gonna join the football team! Or baseball! Or soccer! Do they have lacrosse? Always wanted to try that!"

Brick had not expected that reaction. "I'm… not sure."

"Well _I'm_ going to take culinary arts," Boomer declared. "They have that class, right? And art? And music?"

"I really don't know. Max only told me we have to take some aptitude tests before we get to choose electives." Brick glanced between them. "You two are _happy_ about this?"

"Hell yeah, Bro! Know why?" He shook his head in genuine befuddlement. "Girls! We get to be in class with hot girls _all day!_ "

"Nice, sweet, cute girls," Boomer amended.

"Oh, for the love of…" Brick folded his arms to eye them sternly. "Our client just paid us a couple million dollars to eliminate his financial competition. There isn't going to be time for messing around with _females_."

"Maybe you'd change your tune if you weren't a virgin." Butch received a scowl. "The contract doesn't have an official end date, right? That means we can take as long as we want. Also, when's our stuff gonna get here?"

Brick actually had an answer to that question. "With expedited shipping from Busan, five days."

"So we should probably go shopping, huh?" Boomer suggested.

"Alright, I'll hit up the mall for clothes and babes!" Butch zoomed off before either of them could say otherwise.

Brick sighed. "Boomer, you're in charge of hygiene. I'll go get us new phones." He waited until his blond brother left before floating up the stairwell to the roof. There was indeed a pool and a hot tub, both covered, in addition to a nice grill and outdoor furniture. The view was phenomenal; he could see over the whole city and that made him feel powerful. The roof would make a good landing site in lieu of riding the elevator up and down every day. Brick took off toward a park nearest the tech shop and tried to touch down stealthily but a little kid saw him anyway, pointing and yelling. He walked the rest of the way, relying on his photographic memory to navigate the urban maze.

It was easy enough choosing a cell phone when he wasn't concerned with its ability to handle mobile games or take gallery-worthy pictures. All it had to do was make calls, texts, and be durable enough to survive a fall from 1200 feet up. The salesperson gave him a weird look at that last stipulation but assured him that most phones were virtually indestructible these days thanks to ballistic glass screens, shock absorbers, and titanium alloy cases. They had biometric security features too, implementing both retinal and fingerprint scans in addition to voice recognition. Brick paid for three of the same model in different colors, earning another weird look since he was young to be throwing around that kind of money, and headed to the bookstore where he purchased two core subject refreshers to hopefully cram some information into his brothers' empty heads before school began.

By then he was starving, his accelerated metabolism having burned through breakfast a while ago. Brick appreciated the fact that he could just take off and go anywhere in the world for lunch. Traveling had turned him into a bit of a food snob, his tastes so discerning that he preferred to do his own cooking. In the interest of discovering everything Townsville had to offer he headed to the little café the limo had passed earlier, giving it a quick scan through the window. Clean, uncrowded, decent food and drink menus… and there were a couple cute girls behind the counter. Once inside his stomach growled loudly. "Oh my, someone's hungry!" tittered the petite brunette with big blue eyes. "What can I get for you, handsome?"

"Robin…" Her coworker glanced over her shoulder to make a snap judgment of Brick. "Stop flirting with customers."

"Compliments earn tips, you know." Robin winked at him. "So what'll it be? Take your time, no rush."

Brick pretended not to notice her blatantly checking him out. He was aware that he possessed features people found attractive but he wasn't interested in using them to establish relationships of any kind. Butch was a shameless slut and Boomer had left a string of broken hearts across the globe but Brick had never entertained a fling or a girlfriend. That didn't mean he didn't appreciate beauty when he saw it. Robin had eyes that could drown people, a nice smile, and a soft, melodious voice. The other girl had red hair secured in a neat bun, pale freckled skin, and a defined hourglass figure. Brick ordered a panini and claimed a corner table, unboxing his new gadget. Several minutes later a plate appeared before him.

"Oh wow, you got the Nervo?" He looked up to find the redhead ogling it. "That phone just came out yesterday!"

For the first few seconds he only stared, caught off-guard by how attractive she was now that he could see her finer details. She also smelled like strawberry shortcake. "It did?" he finally articulated.

"Yes, and I know how much it costs. I never expected to see anyone my age with one except for maybe Princess Morbucks. Unless, umm… _are_ you in high school?" Brick nodded and she visibly relaxed. "Can I see it, your Nervo?" He handed it over as she sat down opposite him, examining every inch. "I should save up for one of these. Have you used the touch projector yet?"

"Touch projector?" he repeated. "What's that?"

Her rose-colored eyes glittered with excitement. "I'll show you if you unlock it. It's the feature everyone was most excited about." Nimble fingers danced across the screen and pressed a button that gave Brick pause for concern when it went black, but then a pinprick of light appeared and suddenly the display was in the air before him. "Oops, that looks a little small, but the Nervo can display things holographically. It registers touch commands by sensing light disruptions to the projections. Try it!" He poked at a menu and was surprised that it responded accurately, messing with a few more settings while the girl beamed. "Isn't it neat? I got to test the prototype but the finished product is so much nicer. I really want one now."

Brick thought about how easy it would be to swipe his debit card and hand her a $2000 cell phone, but then he realized what a ridiculous notion that was. He didn't even know her name; she was just a worker at the café where he'd chosen to have lunch, a total stranger. But she had the same rare red hair as him and Robin had called him handsome, so that was how he justified leaving twenty bucks on the table for them both. It definitely was _not_ because she showed him how to use his phone and was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen, like a goddess from a Renaissance painting.

* * *

Butch had the same idea as Brick about using the roof as the front door, alighting with several stuffed shopping bags slung about his arms. "Got clothes!" he announced, but no one responded. He left the bags in the living room and high-tailed it out of the penthouse again, flying low and slow to kill some time. His TV, video games, and workout equipment were in a conex coming from Korea so he had to find some way to fend off boredom. After being cooped up in that limo he really wanted to get his blood flowing. He landed on a random street and asked the first pedestrian he encountered if there were any gyms nearby. The closest one charged an expensive membership fee; although Butch had plenty of money at his disposal he didn't want to waste it when he could work out for free once his stuff arrived. All the fitness centers in the metro were overpriced, but as he made his way to the outskirts he caught a glimpse of a sign reading 'Duke's'. A gut feeling prompted him to investigate.

It was an MMA gym filled with sweaty dudes. Butch walked in like he owned the place and cast his gaze around with mild interest until spotting a chick, and then he became _very_ interested in staying. He approached the mat where she delivered low, mid, and high kicks to a totally jacked old man while he counted them out. "One, two, three, good. One, two, three, keep pivoting. One, two, three…"

Butch cleared his throat loudly and they faced him together. "Can I fight her?" he asked.

The man stepped forward. "Who the fuck're you, kid?"

"Does it matter?" He nodded at the girl. "Who's she?"

The man tried to stare him down. Butch smirked since he was taller; at six-foot-five he loomed above pretty much everyone. "What's your deal? You think you can just waltz in here and ask to combat my star pupil?"

He shrugged. "Why not? She looks strong enough to stand up to me." He leaned sideways to smile at her. "What's your name, sexy?"

She scoffed. "Give him some gloves, Duke. I wanna punch that smug grin right off his face." The old owner sighed and complied, tossing Butch a pair of padded fingerless gloves. He ditched his shoes and pulled off his shirt, revealing the myriad tattoos he'd acquired over the last few years. "You're pretty built," she commented. "I hope those muscles aren't just for show."

"I can show you a good time if you wanna get outta here," Butch offered.

She just laughed. "Hitting you is about to be the highlight of my day." With that she extended a fist that he bumped with his own, then they began circling one another as some other trainees gathered around the soft octagon. They traded little jabs and feints, testing the waters, and then the girl knocked him on his ass with a hard roundhouse he never saw coming, the men chuckling while Butch lay there blinking at the ceiling for a second. "You good?" she asked with a smirk.

He sprang to his feet. "Never better." He let her get a few more hits on him; it wasn't like she could actually hurt him since he was imbued with Chemical X. Still he felt some bruises forming from repressing his true strength. Butch recognized her use of taekwondo and Muay Thai, powerful long legs keeping him at bay. "How tall're you, five-eight?" he conversationally inquired as she blocked his punches.

"Five-ten, thank you very much," she answered.

Butch retreated to avoid an uppercut but she followed up with a spinning back kick. He caught her ankle and then found himself on the ground as she twisted around to take him down. He forgot how flexible women could be. "Damn, nice move," he spoke from between her knees, halfheartedly trying to pry them apart. "Don't suppose I could feel these legs around my waist sometime? Or my ears?"

Her mouth dropped open at the absolutely lurid sneer on his face before she scrambled off him. "I'm done. Thanks for the session, Duke."

"Anytime, B," the old man said. He leveled Butch with a glare. "We got a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment, so if you wanna train here you have to quit that shit."

Butch righted himself and dusted off his pants. "Don't think you'll be seein' my face again. Already studied kickboxing, karate and judo so I doubt there's anything I can learn from ya."

Duke shook his head. "Seriously, who the fuck _are_ you? If you knew who _that_ was and what she could do to you if you caught her at the wrong time…"

Butch studied the hot girl as she threw on a shirt over her sports bra. She had bronze skin, short black hair, enticing lips and striking green eyes. There were many, _many_ things he wanted her to do to him. "The name's Butch. I'm always lookin' for a good fight."

* * *

Boomer had always relied on technology to help him find something, but since it was all boxed up in a crate on a ship in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, he didn't know where to find personal hygiene items. He aimlessly wandered around on foot, turning his head every-which-way in hopes of spying body wash or something through a window. Suddenly he stopped, sniffing the air. Soap! He followed his nose to a storefront with a cursive sign: 'Heavenly Body – Artisanal Personal Care Boutique'. Bells jingled when he pushed the door open and a feminine chorus greeted him. "Uh, hi," Boomer replied. "Do you guys have shampoo and stuff?" A blonde employee in an apron practically flew across the store to him, beaming and batting her eyelashes. Oh man, she was really pretty. His heartbeat had already gone staccato.

"Hello! I can help you find whatever you need. You said you're after shampoo? Will that be it?" she asked.

"Uh, no… I sorta just moved here with my brothers and we don't have anything," Boomer explained.

She held up a solemn hand. "Say no more, I got you." She fetched a basket and linked arms with him, leading him over to a wall of bottles. She asked questions about his and his brothers' hair types but Boomer had no clue and simply agreed with her suggestions. He got a little more personal with shower gel and deodorant, opting for a variety of different scents, and thought that was everything until she suggested a facial scrub. He couldn't say no to her sky blue eyes, letting her add products to his basket at whim. There were lotions, mousses, cremes, loofahs, and other things he didn't even know the names of. Thank god she eventually faltered. "Do you have shaving needs? We have a subscription service that delivers blades every month. But your skin looks really smooth…"

She stroked his cheek, smiling innocently. He could have melted right then. "I'm good on that, thanks though." Another girl behind the counter began ringing everything up. She had curly red hair, lots of freckles, and a cute button nose. Her name tag read 'Julie' and when Boomer checked the same spot on the blonde girl's apron he was disappointed to see that she wasn't wearing one.

"So you just moved to Townsville, huh? Would you like to join our rewards program since you'll be sticking around?" Boomer literally could not say no to her; it was like his mouth refused to form the word. "Awesome! It's such a great discount. Would you mind if I put some freebies in your bag? We got new colognes you can sample." He did not mind. Julie read him the total and it was probably more than he should be spending, but both girls were so sweet he wanted to keep them smiling. "Thank you for shopping at Heavenly Body!" they said in unison. "We hope to see you again!"

Boomer tossed a wave over his shoulder, sighing happily once he was outside. If there were more cute girls like that at school he was definitely going to enjoy his stay. He flew home with a goofy grin on his face, drifting into the penthouse to find Brick sorting clothes and Butch fiddling with a cell phone, but they paused to turn his way when he set the large bags on the coffee table. "Boomer, what the hell? You had to get nine things at most," Brick chastised.

He sheepishly mussed his hair. "I found this neat store downtown and there were really nice girls working there…" Brick rolled his eyes and dumped out the goods to scrutinize their labels.

Butch sauntered over. "Speakin' of cute girls, _I_ found an MMA gym and there was a total babe trainin' there. Hope she goes to our school so I can get her to straddle me again. She practically sat on my face."

Brick wrinkled his nose. "That's disgusting."

"It's fuckin' awesome, you're just a prude. Boomer, tell him to finally get laid so he'll stop judging me."

"Don't knock it till you try it, Brick."

"You're both degenerates." He stood up with an armload of products to stock his bathroom with. "The white phone is yours, Boomer. So is that other textbook. You two need to study before our aptitude tests so you don't make us look like complete imbeciles." Butch scoffed but thumbed through his book anyway, scratching his head at the math portion, and Boomer dutifully carried his belongings upstairs.

The three boys quickly settled into their personal routines. They'd gotten good at that over the years since they moved around so much. The penthouse wasn't even the nicest place they'd called home; that honor belonged to a suite in Dubai. A few hours later, after the sun had gone down, they convened in the kitchen to sate their rumbling stomachs only to exchange the same blank look. "None of us got groceries," Boomer observed. "Do they do room service here?"

"Yeah, but I'm in the mood for pizza," Butch said. They both faced Brick. "Your call, Bro."

"Forget room service or delivery, let's go out."

His brothers were on board with the idea, though Butch paused at the stairs. "Y'know somethin'? I don't think anyone realizes we're the Rowdyruff Boys. No one recognized me at the mall or the gym."

Boomer mulled it over. "Maybe everyone forgot about us?"

"Good," Brick stated, "that means we can get away with a lot before anyone comes close to figuring things out. We want to keep a low profile, all right? Heads down but eyes and ears open. Tonight is the only exception."

"Yeah, yeah…" Butch waved it off. "Whatever you say, Bro, like always."

* * *

"Bye, Robin. Thanks for the ride." Blossom waved at her friend and coworker, sighing tiredly as she walked up the driveway to the front door. "I'm home!" She placed her shoes on the rack and ventured into the kitchen. "Do you need help with dinner, Bubbles?"

"Sure! Can you make a salad while I put these steaks on the grill?" Blossom pulled ingredients from the fridge and set to work. As soon as the scent of charred meat filled the air Buttercup appeared, sitting at the table.

"That smells good. New marinade?" Blossom shrugged. "How was your day?"

"Pretty uneventful." She paused slicing tomatoes. "Actually, I met a guy with a Nervo."

"That super-expensive phone that just came out?"

Blossom nodded. "But he didn't even know about the holographic projector, so I gave a demonstration. He said he was in high school but I'd never seen him before."

"He's gotta be new. You get his name?" She froze again, eyes widening at how rude it must have seemed for her to be more interested in the guy's cell phone than exchanging pleasantries. "I take that as a no," Buttercup snickered. " _My_ day was ruined by some douchebag who interrupted my training session with Duke. He asked to spar so we did, but he was hitting on me the whole time."

"Did you tell him to get lost?"

"Better. First I kicked him in the face, then I used this new takedown on him." She frowned. "But I think he liked getting his ass beat."

Bubbles returned from the patio. "Was he cute at least? And was the café guy cute?"

"My guy was definitely _not_ cute. He was way too cocky," Buttercup replied. "He did have some cool tattoos, though. And pierced ears. Total punk."

"Mhm, I see. Blossom?"

She shrugged again. "I don't know, I guess he was conventionally attractive. Robin thought he was the hottest thing since sliced bread."

"Well, the guy who came into Heavenly Body today was the very definition of cute. He could've been a pop star. Wavy blond hair, deep blue eyes, fit body…" She sighed dreamily. "He was so clueless it was kind of adorable. He said he and his brothers just moved to Townsville."

Blossom rotated to face her sisters, brow knitting. "What are the odds of the boys Buttercup and I encountered being the brothers your customer mentioned?" Bubbles spread her hands. Obscure mathematical calculations weren't her strong suit. "Isn't it plausible? We've known the same people all our lives and then three boys we've never met show up on the same day."

"Or it could just be coincidence," Buttercup said. "I wouldn't read too much into it. I'm already over what happened with that dude."

"I'm not…" Bubbles sighed once more. "I really wanna see him again, but I forgot to ask his name. Oh, I hope he goes to our school…"

"Which starts next week, by the way. Have you two been studying?"

"Yes, Blossom," her siblings answered together. "If I don't get into chem this year I'm gonna be pissed," Buttercup added.

"You can always take culinary arts," Bubbles pointed out, "then you and Blossom might have it together!"

"Ugh, no thanks. Baking cookies is nowhere near as cool as making ice cream with liquid nitrogen."

"It's still a chemical reaction!"

"A lame one."

Blossom wore a tiny smile while listening to her sisters debate the merits of their preferred classes. Having dinner together was something she started looking forward to after they got jobs that summer, when the three of them returned from studying abroad for sophomore year. They all had new interests and hobbies and friends. Blossom took it upon herself to get the scoop so she could relay it all to the Professor. He threw himself back into work as they got older, depending on her to keep the peace in his stead. As little girls she had been the commander and leader but now she was simply the mediator since there were no more monsters or bad guys left to fight.

Or so she assumed, because she had no idea the Rowdyruff Boys were back in town.


	2. We Don't Need No Education

**Chapter Two: We don't need no education**

The aptitude tests were simpler than Brick had anticipated, but Butch and Boomer lamented their difficulty. They stood in a long line snaking out of the library, catching bits of conversation between peers about which classes they hoped to have been placed in. After receiving their schedules they were supposed to go on a tour of the campus. Five stories tall with a glittering glass and steel exterior, Townsville High School managed to put some colleges to shame thanks to its cutting edge facilities and outstanding faculty. Notable scientists often guest-taught classes and students could expect to go on at least one academic field trip per quarter. Brick learned all this by listening in on gossip from the cliques around them, many of which continually tossed intrigued glances their way. Evidently the Rowdyruffs were some of the only new students that year.

"Names?" asked an elderly librarian with rows of folders behind her.

"Boomer, Brick, Butch."

"I need your _last_ names, young man."

Brick sighed. "Lucian." They had enough renown that anyone who wished to acquire their services addressed them as 'Rowdyruffs' or sometimes just 'Boys'. They certainly weren't going to take any part of Mojo Jojo's silly moniker as their own despite him being their creator. After their defeat at the hands of the Powerpuff Girls it had been a mysterious figure called Him who nursed them back to health and properly infused them with Chemical X, removing their unstable components. They never found out his real identity before they were allowed back into the world, and some of the trials they underwent in his laboratory made the Ruffs regard Him as the Devil incarnate. They chose the surname Lucian since it contained the same Latin root as Lucifer, 'lux' meaning 'light'.

"Lucian, Lucian… ah, here you are."

Brick grunted his thanks and ushered his brothers off to the side to compare their schedules. At a glance he saw they'd been sorted into lower core classes than him, and he reread Boomer's paper a couple times. "You have three electives? No history?"

He hunched one shoulder. "The history test was easy."

"Lucky fuck," Butch griped. "I have U.S. history, but I got into intermediate French."

Brick gave him a surprised look as well. "Since when do you speak French?"

"Since I banged that actress in Paris mais seulement les weekends." He beamed at Brick's impressed expression and pocketed his schedule. There was some time to kill before the junior orientation so they wandered out to the quad were rows of club and team tables were arranged.

"Hey you, you're really tall! Wanna join the basketball team?" someone called.

"You're in great shape! Ever try soccer?" another shouted.

"I could use someone like you on the football team!"

There was also tennis, swimming, and track & field. Butch spun around to cling to Brick. "Which one do I pick?!"

"Like I care." But if Butch joined a team that meant he wouldn't get all twitchy and obnoxious. "I don't see lacrosse."

The nearby football player piped up again. "I bet you could help us win the Homecoming game. The whole school would love you!" His pitch successfully reeled Butch in. "Hey there, name's Joey. I'm the captain this year. You ever play football before?"

"No, but… I was on a rugby team once," he answered, suddenly shy.

"That's just as good! Not gonna lie, you might end up on second string since I didn't see you at summer tryouts. There's only about a month till Homecoming but if you can learn the plays in that time… well, we'll see how it goes. I got a good feeling about you." Joey flashed a winning smile and proffered a clipboard with a small form to fill out. "You need to maintain a three-point-oh GPA to stay on the team. That gonna be an issue for you?"

"Doubt it," Butch shrugged, "I have English with my bro so I'll just copy off him."

Joey laughed. "I'm not supposed to advocate cheating, but brothers help each other out. If you're a good player and the rest of the team likes you, we'll have your back as well." He scanned the completed form, humming in approval. "Physicals are tomorrow after school. I'm sure you'll pass with flying colors but don't smoke anything beforehand."

"Got it, I'll be there." Wearing a self-satisfied smirk, Butch trailed Brick and Boomer to where a bunch of other juniors gathered, making small talk.

A feminine cry abruptly rang out, then Boomer pitched forward as someone ran into him from behind and he glanced down to find slender arms wrapped around his waist. His brothers looked alarmed while he rotated to discover that the attack-hugger was the girl who had helped him at Heavenly Body. "It's you! It's you, it's you!" she cheered, jumping up and down. "I can't believe we go to the same school and you're a junior, too! Omigosh, what classes are you in? Can I see your schedule?!"

"Um" was all Boomer could vocalize. She looked even prettier than before.

"Calm down, Bubbles. You probably traumatized him." That name instantly clicked for the Boys, their attention shifting to the other girl rocking an undercut. Her eyes flicked over them until settling on Butch, then she scowled. "Don't tell me _you_ go here, too."

"You know it, babe." She groaned. "By the way, your hair's awesome."

"Thanks. You're still not getting in my pants."

Brick edged away from the two Powerpuffs his brothers had apparently encountered during their first day in Townsville. If Bubbles and Buttercup were here, that had to mean…

"Girls, there you are! Didn't I ask you not to run off?"

Like a magnet his eyes were drawn to the final member of the trio as she approached, his stomach flip-flopping. There was still youthful innocence to Bubbles and Buttercup possessed the same brusque attitude, but Blossom appeared completely calm and collected, opposite her younger self that would have leapt into action upon seeing them. Brick could not stop tracing the curves her outfit highlighted: pencil skirt clinging to her wide hips, purple blouse fitted snugly over her ample bust, corset belt defining her narrow waist. No wonder he hadn't recognized her at the café. She looked so… _womanly_.

Butch's jaw dropped. "Blossom, is that you?!"

She regarded him warily. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met."

"Oh c'mon, I figured _you_ of all people would remember us." He slung his arms around Brick's and Boomer's shoulders. "Take a good look, Red."

Buttercup and Bubbles moved to stand beside her, all three of their brows knitting. Blossom's was the first to unfurrow as her expression shifted to horror. "Oh no, it _can't_ be…"

Bubbles caught on a second later. "Rowdyruff Boys! Wow, you guys really grew up!"

"Where the fuck have you been all this time?" Buttercup crossed her arms and scowled, a stance that Brick mirrored. "Why'd you come back after ten years?"

"None of your business," he said.

"Actually it _is_ our business to stop you from fucking shit up," she countered.

Blossom nudged her. "Don't curse so much. But really, what are you doing in Townsville?"

"Getting an education, obviously," Brick answered.

"I don't believe you."

"Believe whatever you want, it won't change the truth." They frowned at one another until Brick spun around to face Principal Keane who had arrived to take her junior students on their tour. They meandered the grounds first, the Ruffs hanging at the rear of the group. Bubbles found some other friends to chat with but Blossom and Buttercup stuck to them like glue, heated stares burning holes in their backs. "Quit _glaring_ at us," Brick spat. "It's pissing me off."

Blossom tossed her long hair. "Sorry, but I have questions."

"None of which we're obliged to answer."

Buttercup scoffed. "So you've just been dicking around for the last decade, huh?"

"Pretty much," Butch said.

"Bullshit."

Brick rounded on them. "What the hell do you want to hear, then? Tell me and I'll say it if it makes you leave us alone."

"Where were you?" Blossom asked.

"Places."

"Places?"

"We moved around a lot," Boomer supplied. "We traveled all over the world."

"Doing what?" Buttercup pressed.

"Stuff," Butch answered.

"Stuff?"

"And things."

She raised an eyebrow. "Like what? We need specifics."

"No, you don't!" Brick kept his voice low so as not to draw attention to their inane conversation. "It's none of your goddamn business what we did or didn't do! If I'd known you three would be here and you had become so insufferably nosy, we would've enrolled in private school." Thanks a lot, Max.

Blossom lifted her chin and that minor action irked him to no end. How dare she look down her nose at him. "Well, you're at a public school full of innocent students so forgive me for being concerned about your actions potentially causing them harm."

"What do you think we're going to do, blow up the building? I'll actually do it if you don't get off our backs."

Buttercup tutted. "Threatening people doesn't make us feel inclined to trust you guys." Brick covered his face to smother his sound of exasperation. Several minutes of blessed silence passed as Principal Keane led them around the eleventh grade floor which was divided into two main halls. While stopping to check out the computer lab upstairs Buttercup spied the paper sticking out of Butch's back pocket and snagged it. "You gotta be shitting me." Blossom scolded her again. "Sorry, but you'd be upset too if you had two classes with this jackass."

Butch grinned, pleased as punch. "Which ones?"

"Chemistry and P.E., and you're in the French class right next to mine. Where'd you learn to speak it, huh?"

"When we lived in Paris."

Blossom quirked an eyebrow. "Where else did you live?"

Boomer counted the locales on his fingers. "Seville, Venice, London, Dublin, Rio, Dubai, Kyoto, Hong Kong, Sydney, Jakarta…"

"Oaxaca, Nairobi, and Busan," Brick finished, since he ran out of digits.

"Wow, that's a lot of cultures to experience!" Blossom was impressed. "Which city was your favorite?"

"I liked Dubai. There were tons of nice cars," Butch answered.

"Mine was Venice. All that Renaissance art was amazing," Boomer replied.

Blossom eyed Brick expectantly but he kept his mouth shut, then she turned bashful. "Um, you know, the three of us spent sophomore year studying abroad. I went to Mexico City, Buttercup visited Paris, and Bubbles was in Tokyo."

"Really? That's awesome." Brick shot Butch a glare telling him to stop being friendly with the Puffs but he ignored it. "You have to wear uniforms? Little skirts and little bow ties?"

"Bubbles and I did, but—"

Buttercup clapped a hand over her sister's mouth. "Blossom, no! You're just fueling his perverted imagination!" Butch leered. "I'm onto you, buddy."

"I'd love to have you on any part of me. Wanna get outta here?"

She shoved him and he laughed. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

"He does all his thinking with his second brain," Boomer quipped, glad that Buttercup cracked a smile even though she tried to seem annoyed.

A giggle alerted them to Bubbles' return; she draped an arm over Boomer's shoulder like she'd been leaning on him her whole life. "So, what classes do you guys have?" She skimmed his schedule first. "You have culinary arts fourth period? So does Blossom! And you're in choir with me, yay! You and Buttercup have the same algebra class."

"Woohoo," she said joylessly.

"Looks like me and Butch have geometry and U.S. history together. How 'bout you, Brick?" He gave her the cold shoulder. "You're supposed to be the smart one, right? I bet you got into a bunch of advanced classes." The flattery didn't work on him so Bubbles switched subjects. "I heard you guys have Nervos. Can I see?" Boomer hastily proffered his for inspection. "So cool! Y'know, if you use the projector while facetiming someone it's almost like they're there in person."

"How do you know so much about our phones?" Butch queried.

"Blossom dated a guy who worked on the prototype," Buttercup explained.

Brick rotated to find the redhead staring at her toes, cheeks flushed. "I'm going to, umm, see if Miss Keane needs help with anything." She scurried away, leaving profound silence in her wake.

Bubbles then elbowed Buttercup. "Good job, dummy. You know she hates talking about _him_."

" _He_ goes to our school, too. She might even have him in one of her classes since they're such nerds. She needs to get over it."

"Who's 'him'?" Brick asked. Not that he particularly cared, it just surprised him that Blossom had deigned to date someone.

"Dexter Jones," the girls replied in unison. "He's only the smartest guy at Townsville High," Bubbles added.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, it is." Buttercup scrutinized him. "Let's see your placements." Brick acquiesced by slapping his schedule into her palm. "You have physics and Spanish with Blossom, lit-comp with Bubbles, and European history with me." And he was on par with Blossom in the nerd department by choosing Computer Networking and Introductory CAD as electives.

"Okay?" Brick shrugged. "I'm not going to study with you or anything."

"Of course not." Buttercup noted they'd reached the end of their tour. "C'mon, Bubbles. I gotta sign up for volleyball and you wanted to do cheerleading, right?" Her sister nodded happily, tossing the Boys a wave before they wandered off. It suddenly felt very still and quiet.

Butch stuck his hands in his pockets, blowing out a breath. "So, can we talk about Blossom for a sec? 'Cause dayum, that girl is _thick_. Totally wasn't expecting that."

Boomer was still getting over how touchy-feely Bubbles had been with him. "I thought she was nice," he said, daring a glance at Brick, "and they're right to be suspicious of us. We didn't really leave on the best terms."

"That was ten whole years ago, though. We're over it so they should be, too. I can't believe I have classes with all three of them…"

"You're both lucky fucks that get to be around Blossom." Butch made a sound of want. "I'd gladly practice my French between those thighs."

Brick's jaw clenched. "I'm putting a moratorium on that shit right now. If I hear you mention the Powerpuff Girls and something sexual in the same sentence one more time, I will punt you into the goddamn sun. Got it?"

Butch seemed like he was about to challenge his authority before he thought better of it, shoulders slumping. "Yeah, fine… but what if _they_ come on to me?" His brothers busted up laughing. "Hey, it could happen!"

* * *

"First day of school! First day of school!" Bubbles pranced into the nearest sister's room and tore her blanket off. "Wake up, Buttercup! We need to get ready!"

She grouched and grumbled, checking the time on her phone. "Bubbles, come on. It's only six."

"Right! We'll get dressed by six-ten, have our hair and makeup done by six-thirty, and get to school at six-forty. That leaves us twenty minutes to hang out with people!"

"Who the hell're you so excited to see?" Sky blue eyes angled toward the ceiling. "Don't tell me you're trying to be friends with _Boomer_." She went "tee hee" and Buttercup sighed. "He's a Rowdyruff, Bubbles."

"So what? He's super cute! And he joined choir so that must mean he can sing! Oh, I wonder what he sounds like…"

"A dying whale, I hope." Bubbles appeared stricken by that thought. Buttercup sat on the edge of her bed for a moment.

"Jeez, your hair's a mess."

"You're the one who insisted on cutting it."

Bubbles pouted. "Do you not like it?"

"Of course I do…" She scowled at the wall. "I'm just annoyed that Butch likes it, too."

"Not gonna lie, he's kinda hot." Buttercup cringed. "Seriously! He's tall, beefy, and has that devilish smile. Those earrings give him a bad boy vibe."

"More like fuckboy." She inspected her closet for a suitable first-day outfit, shooing Bubbles away. A few minutes later they regrouped in their combined bathroom which was so overrun with cosmetics and beauty supplies there wouldn't have been space for Blossom's things if they still shared it. As they got older it became apparent there simply wasn't enough surface area for three teenage girls to keep all their stuff together, so Bubbles had their old room, Buttercup had a converted office, and Blossom had the guest bedroom downstairs. She was already awake and perfectly polished by the time her sisters joined her for breakfast.

"Ooh, love that top," Bubbles remarked. "Where'd you get it?" It was an aqua chiffon piece she had paired with white linen pants, very breezy. Bubbles would never admit it to Blossom's face but she adored that her sister now contrasted her hair with appropriately-colored garments.

"Mexico," Blossom replied, "I just haven't worn it until now."

"Well you look awesome, but, hmm… no lippie? A gloss would really make your outfit pop."

"Yeah, like a bright pink," Buttercup suggested.

The way she said this so offhandedly also thrilled Bubbles to no end. She was the resident girly-girl, had been that way since she was born, whereas Buttercup vehemently opposed highlighting any aspect of her femininity during their youth. Then she went to Paris where she fell in love with haute couture and alternative indie fashion. When she came back to Townsville in June she had already made a decision no one saw coming, not even her own family, but it put her on a pretty promising career path.

They said goodbye to the Professor despite him being dead to the world until his first cup of coffee, flying to school where they touched down just as the effects of their antidote kicked in. Students milled about in close-knit groups, exchanging hugs and how-are-yous while sharing details of their summer break adventures. Blossom and Buttercup scanned the courtyard for any sign of the Rowdyruffs but didn't see them; whether that was a good or bad thing they didn't yet know. They had not told the Professor about the Boys' return and most of their peers just thought they were new faces in town.

Along the way to their lockers the Girls were joined by Robin Snyder, Julie Bean, and Susie Jenkins, chatting until the bell rang for first period. Blossom experienced a mild case of anxiety when she saw Dexter in her Coding class but she managed to remain cordial. Second period was worse, her heart missing a beat upon noticing Brick seated in the middle of the room. Had he really tested into Physics? It combined the science and math requirements but was notoriously challenging as evidenced by the abundance of seniors filing in. She stood there staring at him for so long that the teacher told her to get situated. Unfortunately the only desk left was to Brick's immediate right.

He didn't say anything when she sat down, not that she expected a greeting. Blossom stayed hyper-aware of him the whole time, taking note of his handwriting, his posture, and his little noises of intrigue or dismissal as they went through the course syllabus. She couldn't believe she'd be sitting beside him for the entire year. At least he smelled nice, lacking the boy funk afflicting a few others nearby. Toward the end of the hour Brick idly flipped through the textbook their teacher handed out. "Quit watching me," he uttered. "I might snap if I have to suffer that look any longer, then someone will get hurt." He viewed her sidelong. "Is that what you want?"

Blossom blinked a few times and averted her gaze. The way she simply complied instead of retaliating struck him as odd. After the bell Brick headed to Literature & Composition with Bubbles, tension leaving his body since he no longer felt Blossom's oppressive presence. He paused at the threshold to watch her enter Contemporary Literature, another advanced placement class. How many did she have? Oh wait, he didn't care.

Butch swaggered into the third-period Chemistry lab and grinned when he spotted Buttercup at the rear of the room. "Don't even think about sitting here," she warned, moving her bag onto the stool. "I'm saving this seat for someone."

"Sucks to be them. Should've got here first." She glared daggers as Butch pushed it off and sat down beside her, folding his hands atop the table. "So this is the class we get to blow shit up in, right?"

"…Yeah."

"Cool." They both twiddled their thumbs for a minute, and then an auburn-haired boy in a band T-shirt stopped by to give them a dismayed look.

"Aww, Butters, what gives? I thought you wanted to be lab partners."

"I do, but…" She gestured to Butch's smug form. " _This_ happened. Sorry, Mitch." He went and sat with someone else, both boys whispering. Thanks to his enhanced hearing Butch caught every word.

"That dude your boyfriend?" he asked.

"No, just a friend. We've known each other since kindergarten," Buttercup answered.

"Just friends, huh?" He smirked. "He thinks you look hot in that outfit. So does the other guy. And so do I."

"Your opinion means jack shit to me." Her cheeks grew warm as she snuck a glance at her friends across the aisle. Mitch Mitchelson was that guy who exclusively listened to classic rock and played guitar because he idolized Hendrix. Floyd Floyjoydson was one half of a twin set with a Viking aesthetic due to his tall stature, shaggy blond hair and groomed beard, and he was probably too into anime. Buttercup didn't know how to handle the revelation that they found her attractive because they were just supposed to be friends; no one in their group had so much as flirted with her before. "Are they saying anything else?" she inquired of Butch.

"Somethin' 'bout perfume." Her blush darkened. "What's that mean?"

"Nothing." He arched a brow but didn't press the issue, which she appreciated. She should've known someone had found out about _that_ already. Of course her friends would be talking about it, but most of them were boys.

Buttercup didn't notice Butch following her to the cafeteria since they had the same lunch, but she did notice the way a bunch of people stopped talking and stared at her when she walked through the doors. She was too flustered to act casual and couldn't think of a witty remark, so she just ducked her head and got in line for one of the many gourmet offerings. Butch had stuffed his backpack full of snacks since his metabolism demanded he eat constantly throughout the day. He found a vacant table and dumped everything out, tearing open a bag of chips. About a minute later Brick sat down opposite him with Chinese takeout. "You got orange chicken? Share!"

He blocked the box with his arm. "Go get your own."

"Nah, I'm good." Brick eyed the junk food disdainfully. "How're your classes?" Butch asked.

Not easy, but not difficult. "Stimulating."

"What's Blossom wearin'?" Brick ignored the query. "Another skirt? Please tell me it's another skirt." A tray clacked to Butch's right and they turned to watch Bubbles make herself comfortable. They were even more stunned when Buttercup slid in beside Brick. "Hi?"

"Hello!" Bubbles said sweetly. "Just thought I'd come over here to keep you company since you're new and all. FYI, Blossom and Boomer have the next lunch 'cause they're in culinary right now." She pointed across the room. "If you go to that counter you can buy food the students make."

Butch sat up straighter to get a good look at it. "Don't see 'em."

"It's a rotational thing, they'll definitely be there at some point. By the way, Blossom's outfit is _really_ cute today." The boy buried his face in his arms as she patted him. "We don't see her much, either. She's in all AP classes. Have you guys signed up for clubs or anything?" Brick shook his head while Butch mumbled "football". "Really, that's it? There's a gaming club, y'know. And chess, and debate, student council, elementary and junior high mentoring, athletic medicine…"

One of those piqued Brick's interest, barely. "What does student council do?"

"Each grade has their own four-person council and they're in charge of organizing events like pep rallies and field trips. They mostly do fundraising for that. And sometimes there's contests with the other grades."

"What kinds of contests?" he wondered.

"Nothing fun or cool," Buttercup put in. "Last year there was a huge prank war so Miss Keane put a limit on what we can and can't do now. We weren't here but our friends told us about it."

Bubbles nodded. "Yeah, that kinda ruined it for everyone, but one year the councils organized a huge fashion show. And there's been a go-kart race on campus, a skate competition, _and_ a battle of the bands."

"That all sounds pretty cool to me," Butch said. "Whatcha think, Bro? You should join 'cause you like bossin' people around."

He frowned at that. He didn't boss his brothers around, he made decisions on their behalf to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. "I don't know."

"I bet you'd be good at it, Brick. You kinda have…" Bubbles waved a hand. "The right attitude."

"What attitude?" he demanded.

"You don't take shit from anyone," Buttercup supplied.

She wasn't wrong, but being in a position of power went against his desire to stay under the radar. Although… he'd only have influence over the school, right? It wasn't like he'd be in the public eye or anything. He had already come up with a scheme to oust one of Max's financial competitors so it was important to keep his professional life separated from the façade. "I'll think about it," he finally said.

"Better start campaigning tomorrow if you do decide 'cause elections are next week," Bubbles advised. "You can run for president, vice-president, treasurer, or secretary. But Princess Morbucks is pretty much guaranteed to be treasurer." And Brick didn't want to upset his employer by butting heads with his spoiled brat of a daughter.

When the bell chimed the four superhumans walked to the same hall since their history classes were next door to each other. Buttercup sat in the last row and Brick followed suit only because she was the one person he knew. Some tall buff guy with a long blond fohawk plunked down at the desk in front of her. "Heya, Butters," he greeted.

"Hey, Lloyd," she despondently replied. He was the other half of the twins.

"What's the matter? I heard you have chem with Mitch and Floyd. It's bound to be exciting with those two around, right?"

"I'd use 'awkward' instead of 'exciting'. Apparently they think I'm hot."

"Oh." Lloyd's smile contained a hint of guilt. "Well, can you blame them? We've all seen your ad by now."

Buttercup gave him a narrow look. "Who's 'we'?"

"You know, us guys. Me, Floyd, Mitch, Mike… I think Pablo and Joey saw it, too." Brick's brow furrowed minutely. What the hell were they talking about? He hated feeling uninformed.

"Great, so everyone knows." Buttercup sighed. "Fan-fucking-tastic."

"What, like it's embarrassing? You look _really_ good in that ad, Butters. None of us had any idea you could be so sexy."

Ugh. The boys she'd been friends with since kindergarten shouldn't be sexually attracted to her! That's why they were _friends!_ "So you all wanna fuck me now, is that it?" Lloyd flushed while his mouth opened and closed a few times. The fact that he didn't instantly refute it filled Buttercup with anger. "You'd better go sit somewhere else," she spat.

Lloyd fled to the front of the room as Buttercup withdrew a notebook and pencil from her bag, setting them on the desk more forcefully than necessary. Brick couldn't help but affirm that instances like this were among the reasons he didn't befriend people. Why willingly surround himself by others who might disappoint or betray him?

As fifth period let out, Bubbles caught sight of Boomer exiting the classroom kitty-corner from hers and waved exuberantly. He waited while she maneuvered through the crowd. "Wanna walk to the choir room together?" she offered.

"Uh, sure." Boomer chided himself for getting hopelessly tongue-tied around her. "So, you sing?" Well, duh. What a stupid question.

"Yep! I did _sooo_ much karaoke in Tokyo. I went out every weekend with my friends." Bubbles noticed the camera strap dangling from his backpack. "What made you wanna take photography?"

"Oh, uhh, I sorta started making scrapbooks of all the places we've gone. But I don't have a nice camera like this, so I used my phone and edited the photos to make them look better."

"That's so cool! I'd love to see them sometime. What kinda singing experience do you have?"

She just had to ask. "I, umm… I entered an idol competition while we were in Korea. I didn't win but I got third place."

Bubbles spun toward him with stars in her eyes. "No way! Was it aired on TV and everything?!" Boomer nodded once. "You must be famous over there!"

"Actually… yeah." He laughed shyly. "I sorta have a fan club. Some girls came all the way from Beijing for my autograph." Bubbles squee'd and latched onto his arm, babbling about the idol groups and rock bands that were her current obsession.

In the music building he held the door for her, earning a beatific smile as thanks. Their teacher wasted no time having everyone sing 'Amazing Grace' so she could arrange them by vocal type; Bubbles joined the small section of mezzos as Boomer stood with other baritones. They went through scales and a couple more songs, getting comfortable with one another and having enough fun that the period seemed to end before it really began. Boomer was definitely looking forward to tomorrow, the day after, and the whole month. He had nothing in common with his brothers so it felt good to finally fit in somewhere. And Bubbles was so cute, just an energetic ray of sunshine who charmed everyone with her happy-go-lucky attitude. He really wanted to be friends with her.

"Well, I have a physical for cheerleading," she said when they meandered outside. "See you tomorrow?" Boomer ducked his chin and they shared the same silly little half-smile, then he drifted into the air. Bubbles gasped so he came back down. "You _fly_ around here?!"

"Of course. Don't you?" She shook her head, ponytail flinging about. "Why not?"

Bubbles directed her attention at the ground, closing herself off. "Umm, it's kind of a long story. I don't know if I can tell you?" But she looked like she wanted to. "Me and my sisters can't use our powers at school."

"Why not?" Boomer repeated. She only shook her head again and ran off toward the main gym. While he stood there in complete confusion Brick walked up, eyebrow raised. "The Girls can't use their powers at school," Boomer relayed to him. "Why would that be?"

He had no clue. But if that was the case it made perfect sense why Blossom had meekly obeyed him in Physics and why Buttercup actually cared what people thought of her instead of just punching anyone who got on her bad side. He glanced around, spotting Blossom as she stepped into a station wagon with her creator at the wheel. He highly doubted Professor Utonium would curb his daughters' special abilities in any way, so maybe someone else was responsible for limiting them.

And that bothered Brick because it meant the same thing might happen to him.


	3. Blinding Me with Science

**Chapter Three: Blinding me with science**

Blossom sighed since she was home alone, mostly. The Professor had returned to his lab where she wouldn't see him until dinner, Bubbles and Buttercup were undergoing their sports physicals, and because it was only the first day she didn't have any assignments to complete. Her work schedule had been changed to accommodate school so she no longer had to get ready for that in the afternoon. She flicked through TV channels but there was nothing good on. She went to see if the kitchen needed cleaning but it was still spotless from that morning. The Girls had tidied the whole house in an attempt to make life easier for their dear father who worked so hard.

Her phone trilled and she assumed it was Robin wanting confirmation of their new hours since she was absent-minded about those sorts of things, but the text was from an unknown number. It said: _Tell me why you have to give up your powers for school._

 _Who is this?_ Blossom replied, though she had an inkling based on the demanding tone.

 _Brick_

 _It has nothing to do with you_ , she sent.

A few moments passed, then: _I'm concerned._

About her and her sisters? No way. Brick had made it quite clear he cared for no one more than himself. Blossom tapped her phone against her lips in contemplation. It wasn't exactly a secret that they had to suppress their powers while on campus due to a previous incident, but mostly everyone had forgotten about it by now and treated them like normal girls. The exact details hadn't been made public, though. _It's not a big deal, I'll tell you tomorrow._ Followed by: _How did you get my number?_

 _Your friend Robin._

Robin probably thought Brick wanted to flirt with her after they met at the café and had readily provided it. She was such a hopeless romantic, albeit terribly misguided in this instance.

The next morning Blossom found Brick leaning against her locker, the perma-scowl on his face preventing anyone from saying hello. "That's not an expression a candidate for student council president should wear," she admonished, waving him away to access her books.

"I'm not running for student council," he returned.

"You should. Extracurricular activities look good on college applications."

Brick forgot that college was something real students took into consideration during their high school career. "I'll think about it."

"Well, think fast. You have competition." He followed her pointing finger to a poster advocating some guy named Wes Goingon. ' _Wes_ has your _best_ inter _ests_ at heart!' it read, and he was not amused by the rhyme. He walked with Blossom to the fifth floor where all the technology classes were located. They claimed an empty alcove, Brick regarding her intently as she sighed since she'd rather be reading her coding manual than talking to him. "In seventh grade there was an altercation with Princess. She was harassing Bubbles so Buttercup pushed her away, giving her a concussion. She wanted to sue but her father and the Professor came to an agreement out of court. We take Antidote X every morning to nullify our powers for precisely nine hours which is long enough for us to get through the school day. When Bubbles and Buttercup participate in a game, they take a little bit more so no one can accuse them of cheating. We don't want to ruffle anyone's feathers."

Brick pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let me get this straight… You intentionally stifle your natural abilities because one brat got put in her place and other people are jealous? Are you serious?" Blossom opened her mouth but he wasn't done. "That's _ridiculous_. You and I were made to be better than the average human in every way. I can't believe you let them limit you in order to make themselves feel better."

Her lips pursed. "You don't get it. The Morbucks would have bankrupted us if we tried fighting them. The Professor might have lost funding for his research due to bad press. We would have been destitute."

"No, you wouldn't," he refuted. "There are plenty of applications and good-paying opportunities for your powers. How do you think we managed to survive on our own at seven years old?"

"I don't know," she said curtly, "I honestly thought you were dead."

Brick was almost offended. The only thing in the world capable of harming the Rowdyruffs were the Powerpuffs and _they_ had apparently caved to societal pressure to act normal. Normalcy was weakness. He leaned in, voice low. "I'm actually disappointed to learn about this. Now I know that if we ever feel like fucking shit up, as Buttercup so eloquently put it, the three of you won't be able to do a damn thing to stop us."

Blossom lifted her chin. "Don't be so arrogant, Brick. Of course we established countermeasures in case of an emergency. If there's any kind of domestic attack or natural disaster, we activate adrenaline patches that purge the Antidote X from our systems."

"Patches?" He examined every inch of her exposed skin, finding no discrepancies. "Where?"

"Under our bras where people are the least likely to mess with them." Blossom snickered at his flustered expression; she could've taken a picture and framed it. "I'll make you a deal, also. Since you're allegedly just here to get an education, if you three behave I won't suggest to Principal Keane that you take Antidote X, too."

He took a reflexive step back. "There's no way in hell you could force me to surrender my powers."

"We can indeed force you, but I'd prefer not to resort to violence. So be good boys and keep your grades up." With that Blossom spun on her heel and sashayed into her coding class.

Brick glowered at the space she had just occupied. How dare she threaten him when she lacked the strength to support it. He could kill her in an instant, long before she activated the adrenaline. That undeservedly condescending attitude stoked his rage but he managed to quell it by breathing deeply and counting to ten, then he too headed for first period. Rather than listen to the teacher he thought about how to make Blossom eat her words. She seemed convinced the Ruffs were going to mess with the school in some way, so wouldn't it be ironic if everyone believed they could do no wrong? He had to obtain a social position allowing him to control the perception of his peers but thankfully an opportunity had already presented itself for him to do just that.

Brick waited until third period with the blonde Powerpuff, practically pouncing on her when she walked through the door. "Bubbles, I decided to run for student council president. I was wondering if you could assist with my campaign."

She clapped her hands in delight and gave him a brief tight hug, ignoring the way he cringed. "Yay, I knew you'd agree to it! We can totally brainstorm some ideas during lunch and I'll start on your posters fifth period! I have art," she explained. Brick nodded his appreciation. He didn't really understand her desire to befriend him and his brothers, but if it helped him achieve his goals he wasn't going to dissuade her. The thought of Blossom's own sister inadvertently knocking her down a peg made him smile all the way to the cafeteria where it vanished in an instant.

* * *

Butch passed his physical with flying colors just like Joey said he would, and apparently since he was tall and excellent at throwing a football the coach wanted to make him a quarterback. He got some equipment and a designated locker, familiarized himself with the other team members, and seemingly became buddies with them overnight because the next day Joey shouted across the whole lunchroom for Butch to come sit with him and the guys. After bullshitting for a minute he examined the Culinary Arts counter, but the redhead wasn't there. "You lookin' for someone?" asked a lineman named Harry Pitt. He had buzzed hair, narrow dark eyes, and a bulky build that made him ideal for the position.

"Blossom," Butch answered.

A few chuckles arose as Joey shook his head pityingly. "You got a thing for the queen of the nerds, huh? Forget it, man. She won't give you the time of day unless you're some kinda genius."

"Basically you have to be Dexter," said Mike Believe, a boy who was surprisingly perceptive despite being engrossed by his phone. "Blossom is a bit of an ice queen to everyone else. Besides…" As if possessing some kind of sixth sense he suddenly looked up, everyone else following his gaze to Buttercup while she carried a tray to a table on the perimeter. " _She's_ the hottest girl at this school."

 _"Buttercup?"_ Butch gaped. "You're shittin' me. Have you _seen_ Blossom's curves?"

Joey spread his hands. "They just don't compare to her sister's ad, my man."

He cracked a soda, frowning. "What ad?"

"You ain't seen it yet? Do you live under a fuckin' rock?" Harry asked.

"Excuse me for being new." He took a drink. "What ad?" Joey angled his phone toward Butch and he promptly spit out the cola, ignoring everyone's reactions as his eyes went wide and he snagged the device to better see the image.

It was unmistakably Buttercup. She stood with her hands on her hips looking down her nose at the camera, lips parted slightly in a smirk and eyes faintly glowing green. She was dimly lit from behind, shadows and highlights lending her an enticing physique. She wore a sports bra, shorts, and fingerless gloves, her sparring outfit. A caption at the top read 'Finish Him' and below was 'Crush: new fragrance for women'.

Butch didn't say anything, couldn't find the words. Joey retrieved his phone from his limp fingers with a chuckle. "You're welcome."

He snapped back to reality. "What the fuck is that?"

"Buttercup is a model," Mike explained. "She did the photo shoot for that perfume ad right before school started."

"She's a _model?_ " Butch echoed, like it was the most impossible thing he'd ever heard.

"Uh huh. You can see her whole portfolio on her agency's website, Lux Management. That picture is the best of the bunch, in my opinion."

He sat there dumbfounded for a beat, then furiously searched for her gallery on his own phone. Nothing else even came close to having the same impact as the Crush ad. Butch zipped over to where she ate, earning a bewildered look as he appeared in the air before her. "Why didn't you tell me you were a fuckin' model?!" he yelled, and the entire cafeteria fell silent.

Buttercup recovered, scowling at him. "'Cause it's none of your business!" The way he regarded her made her very uncomfortable. "Go the fuck away, you're creeping me out." Instead of leaving Butch grabbed her upper arms and came even closer. She tried shaking him off but his grip was vice-like. Panic began welling up; she couldn't reach her patch and without her powers she didn't have the strength to fight back. As the toughest member of the Rowdyruff trio there were innumerable ways Butch could hurt her. However, the desire to cause her harm wasn't what she saw in his forest green eyes just then. It looked like sexual desire which actually freaked her out more.

A hand unexpectedly clamped down on his shoulder and yanked him away. Buttercup glanced up to see Brick hovering beside her. "What the _fuck_ do you think you're doing, Butch?" he growled.

"Bro…" He blinked rapidly, returning to his senses. "Uh, that wasn't what it looked like…" The siblings stared at one another until a shout rang out.

"Whoa, you guys can fly! Are you supers?!"

Brick realized too late they'd totally blown their cover. Students swarmed both him and Butch, asking a hundred questions a second and getting way too close for comfort. He shot toward the ceiling before they could put their hands on him, surveying the sea of inquisitive faces below and thinking quickly about how to turn this situation to his advantage. "Um, hello," he waved. "My name is Brick, that's my brother Butch, and we have a third brother named Boomer. We're the Rowdyruff Boys." Some murmurs of recognition reached his ears. "We just came back to get an education, not cause trouble for anyone. In fact, I would like the opportunity to contribute to this academic community by becoming student council president of the junior class, so… please consider voting for me in the upcoming election."

"Woohoo! Yay, Brick!" Bubbles cheered, then everyone else started cheering for him, too. He cracked a partial smile since he was unaccustomed to public speaking, but what better way to do damage control than by redirecting attention to himself? Butch drifted toward the exit, streaking away once he was clear. Brick hastily tailed him and caught him in an empty hallway, grabbing his shirt and shoving him up against the wall with a forearm pressed to his throat.

"Do you want to tell me what the fuck I walked in on you doing to Buttercup?" he bit out.

"Nothin' Bro, I swear!" Butch winced at the pressure on his windpipe. "I wasn't gonna do anything to her!"

"Yes you were, I could see it. You were tense like you get before a combat mission." His brother gulped. "Were you trying to start a fight with her right in front of everyone? Didn't I explicitly tell you to lay low and not mess with the goddamn Powerpuffs?"

"Y-you did, and I wasn't gonna!" Brick's glare continued boring into him. "I swear, Bro! I wasn't gonna hit her or anything. I just wanted…" His cheeks darkened. "Brick, I gotta show you somethin'. Let go." He did and Butch withdrew his Nervo, projecting the onscreen image. Brick's countenance shifted to complete surprise. "Look, _look_ at this. Can you believe it?"

"Not really." How on earth had a rude, brash, feisty little girl become this young woman exuding such confidence? Brick felt his chest grow warm and forced himself to avert his gaze. Now he understood how such an advertisement had elicited amorous feelings among her male friends. "Don't tell me you were going to… _kiss_ her or something." The very notion made him shudder.

Butch rubbed the back of his neck. "I dunno, I wasn't thinkin' straight. I couldn't." Bewitching, that's what the photograph was. Those intense eyes were the focal point of the shot conveying that she was about to deliver the ending blow. Finish him, indeed. No man could stand against her.

Things were a bit calmer when they returned to the cafeteria, Butch's teammates notwithstanding. They were ecstatic to have someone like him playing for Townsville, surely guaranteed to win the Homecoming game against Citiesville next month. While the other guys lauded Butch for his awesome skills they hadn't even seen yet, Joey sat passively "So, you gonna ask Buttercup to Homecoming?" he inquired.

"What, the game?"

"No, the dance. 'Cause if you don't, I will. The way you went after her, though… it looked like you were about to carry her into the nearest empty classroom."

Butch laughed nervously; he had no clue what the fuck he'd been about to do. It was one of those random impulses he got from time to time. "Dunno, it's Buttercup. She's hot but kinda crazy, y'know?"

Joey chuckled. "Yeah, I know. I've only been in school with her all my life. We used to be friends in elementary, but when I started playing football in junior high, she called me a conceited jerk. She dropped off my radar but that ass is too fine for me to ignore any longer."

Since Butch was still a new kid and didn't want to cause another commotion by cockblocking the team captain, he banished the idea of asking Buttercup to be his date. He was pretty sure she'd just tell him to fuck off. "If you want her then go for it. I'm not gonna get in your way."

Joey was glad to see that Butch recognized him as the alpha of the group even though he was superhuman. Best to keep the Rowdyruff on a short leash, anyway. "Good," he said, his smile more conniving than amicable. "I can tell we're gonna be best friends."

* * *

Blossom was not happy by the time the second lunch hour rolled around. Not only were people whispering Brick's, Boomer's, and Butch's names in the same sentences alongside "super" and "Rowdyruff Boys", the school network was severely lagging due to a surge of traffic to a certain website. She went upstairs to the computer lab and was not surprised to see some of the more technologically-inclined students of Townsville High gathered there, Dexter among them. "I know what's going on," she announced, and they all turned her way. "The whole school just found out my sister models. They're all trying to access her online portfolio."

"When did Bubbles become a model?" a senior asked.

"Not Bubbles, Buttercup," she corrected.

"What? Seriously?" Blossom sighed while he searched for her images. A few other boys gathered around to murmur their approval but Dexter wasn't among them. He didn't have eyes for anyone.

"I think we need to add the agency's site and any Buttercup-related keywords to the filter," she suggested with some reluctance. Aside from censoring sensitive subjects the school didn't throttle student internet access, but gossip regarding her sister had reached Blossom's ears and in addition to not liking the majority of what she heard, Buttercup's gallery was causing an inconvenience by hogging bandwidth as the images were downloaded. "Dexter, would you mind?"

"Not at all," he answered, taking a seat at the master computer. It was reserved for the person in charge of cyber security whom Dexter had befriended, so he'd been given administrative privileges. Blossom sat beside him while he entered the network filter settings and began inputting terms.

They spent so much time in this room after they met freshman year. Dexter appeared in every single one of Blossom's sophomore-level classes since they surpassed their peers academically, and they stuck together like glue to avoid persecution for being nerds. She was fascinated by his genius when it came to engineering and programming. He showed her all kinds of gadgets and gizmos he'd built, and it was she who encouraged him to enter the competition that won him the opportunity to help develop the Nervo prototype. His passion inspired her to learn more about the technology the modern world relied on and now she was sort of a jill-of-all-trades when it came to computers.

Freshman Blossom had considered Dexter very cute. She'd been five-foot-four and he was shorter than her, slender in contrast to her curvy figure, with a mop of bright red hair he constantly blew out of his face until Bubbles cut it for him. And he had an adorable habit of adjusting his glasses whenever something didn't go according to his calculations, like when she kissed his cheek for the first time. They accomplished so much together, prided themselves for being known as the smartest, most ambitious couple at Townsville High, and even made it work long distance after Blossom decided to study abroad. Dexter even tried learning Spanish for her since he was already fluent in French and Russian, and when she returned in June she hoped he'd be ready to take their relationship to the next level.

Instead, they went the opposite direction.

Dexter had no desire for physical intimacy, plain and simple. He loved Blossom for her voracious mind, he appreciated her as his intellectual equal, and he thought she was a beautiful, brilliant person, but he wasn't attracted to her body. His lack of interest made her feel insecure and guilty for craving that kind of affection. Wasn't it a good thing that he cared more about her inner workings than her outward appearance? He treated her with such respect and other boys just wanted to know her cup size. After getting hired at Café Een with Robin, Blossom and Dexter slowly grew apart over the summer. He had numerous projects to focus on while she reconnected with her sisters and their friends. Neither of them really reached out to spend time with the other, and when they finally did in August it felt forced. They broke up because of mutual disinterest, yet Blossom still considered it her fault for wanting what Dexter was uncomfortable with giving.

"All done," he said, checking his watch. "I'd better get something to eat before fifth. Bye, Blossom."

"See you, Dex." God, it was hard pretending there wasn't such a huge wall between them now. She never should've kissed him, then they would still be close friends. Why did she have to go and be spontaneous for once instead of adhering to a strictly organized sequence of life events? Blossom didn't feel like returning to the cafeteria so she texted Robin instead, asking her to bring her a chicken Caesar salad from their workplace. She had a car so she bought lunch off campus often, and they both got an employee discount in addition to the student discount. When Robin returned they ate outside on a bench, Blossom's phone chiming while she had a forkful of lettuce in her mouth. She sure was getting a lot of texts lately.

 _Buttercup says what happened with Princess isn't the only reason you take Antidote X._

"Who is it?" Robin wondered as Blossom frowned.

"Brick, again." Her friend drew in a breath of excitement. "It's not like that. He wants to know about the antidote." Though she didn't understand why because it had _nothing_ to do with him. Who was the nosy one now, hm?

"Are you going to tell him?"

"It's really not his business." But the Ruffs were also superhumans like them, so maybe… maybe they were encountering some of the same issues as the Puffs? But they were the same age so they would have experienced them around the same time in that case. Probably. Actually, Blossom had no idea how similar their genetic make-ups were and not knowing that suddenly bothered her a lot. There had to be countermeasures to stop the Boys if they decided to cause chaos and destruction. In the event the Powerpuffs failed to take them out, the ordinary citizens of Townsville had to be able to. _Come by the Professor's lab after school. He can explain everything_ , she said.

 _The lab at your house?_

 _Yes_

 _Where do you live?_ Blossom provided her address. _I'll be there._

 _Aren't you supposed to be paying attention in European History right now?_ she asked.

 _I already know everything about the Roman Empire, I lived all over Europe for five years. It collapsed because imperialism and nepotism are bad. That's it._

"Blossom, you're smiling at your phone," Robin commented. "What did he say?"

She quickly set it down. "Nothing, he's just being Brick."

"Suave and sophisticated?"

"Arrogant," she corrected.

* * *

Bubbles bid Boomer goodbye when sixth period ended, saddened they only shared one class and she couldn't hang out with him after school due to cheer practice. The fact that she wanted to spend time with him at all filled his stomach with butterflies. He saw Brick take off into the sky as a streak of red light, but he wasn't flying in the direction of the penthouse. Boomer followed, quickly catching up. "Where are you going?" he asked. His brother seemed shocked to see him, clearly distracted by more pressing matters.

"…Professor Utonium's laboratory," Brick hesitated to reply.

"Why?"

"To find out if there's a legitimate threat to our livelihood."

Boomer mulled it over. Rarely did either of his siblings keep him fully informed, only dispensing knowledge on an as-needed basis, but he was usually able to piece things together. He may not have been very bright but he _was_ observant, and because Brick and Butch almost always underestimated him, he surprised the hell out of them by providing unexpected insight in most situations. Brick was probably just being paranoid about the whole Antidote X thing, but Boomer had to admit he was curious as to why the Puffs took it willingly. They landed in the empty driveway having beat Blossom and her creator to their own home.

A few minutes later, just as the station wagon started to turn in, the Professor slammed on the brakes. "Blossom, who are those boys and why are they waiting for us?"

"They're two of the three Rowdyruff Boys, Professor." He rotated in his seat to give her a look of slight horror. "They came back to Townsville to get diplomas, I guess."

"You guess?" He regarded them suspiciously. "You don't know for certain?"

"No, I don't. They weren't exactly forthcoming about what they've been up to the last ten years." Ooh, that gave Blossom an idea. Maybe they could trade information! "Brick found out about us taking Antidote X so I told him that you could explain why. I suppose Boomer must have followed him."

"Where's the green one?" the Professor wondered.

"Football practice, I assume." She tried not to laugh at how cautiously the car pulled up to them, Boomer glancing down at the mere inch between his knees and the bumper and offering a thumbs-up. The Professor hung back as both boys trailed Blossom inside and over to the laboratory door that unlocked after a retinal scan. "Come on, Professor," she beckoned, "I can't do the genome sequencing."

"The what?" all three men chorused. Brick then protectively stepped in front of Boomer, glaring. "We didn't come here to be experimented on!"

"Don't be so dramatic, it's just a blood sample." He didn't budge so she turned her back on him. "Fine, then I guess you don't care about how Antidote X would affect you." She and the Professor descended a set of stairs and when they reached the decontamination chamber Blossom didn't have to check to make sure the Boys had followed. "Put these on," she instructed, handing them masks and gloves. "Close your eyes as you step through the arch or it'll sting."

Boomer thought there was a lot of cool stuff in the lab and set to work examining it while the Professor kept an eye on him. Brick simply stood right inside the doorway with his arms folded. "Blossom, you need to give me some answers before I lose my cool and start breaking things."

"Has anyone ever told you that you don't need to threaten people to get what you want?" she retorted.

"That's not how it works in my world."

"What world is that?" Brick scoffed, turning away. "All I want to know is what you three were up to during the last decade. Is that so offensive?"

He considered it. "I doubt you'll like the answer."

"And I doubt you'll be satisfied by what you learn here today, but I think we're both mature enough to handle a little disappointment every now and then." She tossed her hair, briefly scenting the air with strawberries. "What were you doing?"

Brick heaved a sigh, relaxing. "We were mercenaries for hire. Black ops. Assassinations. Political coups. Sabotage. Security work. High-profile rescues. Data extraction. Need I go on?" Her eyes had widened significantly after the second thing he listed.

"N-no, I get the gist of it. Um, wow…" Blossom appeared quite conflicted. "You murdered people? For money?"

"Sometimes." She eyed Boomer, utterly stricken. He always came off as the least-awful Ruff but now she couldn't stop imagining his electric blasts reducing someone's skull to confetti. Or did they use guns? No, they wouldn't have need for such things being biological weapons. That must have been what Brick meant when he said there were opportunities in the world for people like them. The Puffs were bioweapons too, only they exclusively used their superhuman abilities to help people. They hadn't even done that in a while because crime was virtually non-existent in Townsville now that all the villains had retired, died off, or been incarcerated for life. Brick's neutral tone regained her attention. "I told you what you wanted to know, now tell me why you take Antidote X. Why was it even invented?"

"Oh, umm… It's kind of a long story and I don't know all the scientific details, but we need it to stabilize our powers. Or to be more specific, we needed something to regulate our biochemistry when we turned twelve."

One of his eyebrows arched high. "Explain."

"The incident with Princess led to its development. She was threatening to cut Bubbles' hair, chasing her around a classroom with scissors, and Bubbles had grown it down to her backside so she was very proud of it. Buttercup came in and stopped Princess by shoving her _through_ a wall. Not just into it, but all the way out the other side. It was a miracle she only got a concussion and didn't break any bones. But Buttercup just gave her a little push and it was much stronger than anticipated. The Professor ran some tests on us as the Morbucks prepared to take us to court. He discovered that our power output had increased exponentially over the last three years, but because we hadn't been using our abilities on a regular basis due to running out of criminals and mutants to fight, we could no longer control them efficiently." Blossom opened a sealed canister and withdrew a flask of red liquid. "Enter Antidote X. The Professor synthesized it as part of the court agreement to deweaponize us, but it also, umm, regulates hormones… Professor!" She blushed at her toes as he approached. "Please explain to Brick about the hormones."

"Ah, yes. Well you see young man, when children reach a certain age their bodies begin to change and develop secondary sex characteristics—"

Brick waved his hands. "I don't need to hear about that, Professor Utonium!"

He flashed what could have been considered a mischievous grin. "But that didn't happen to my girls."

"Huh? Why not?" Boomer asked. The subject didn't bother him one bit.

"Well it's my fault, really. They were genetically engineered from the DNA up using very specific genotypes manipulated under strict guidelines established by my colleagues in the field. Introducing Chemical X to their DNA structure had the unanticipated side effect of hindering hormone production that occurs during puberty. I had to induce it artificially, so I included it as a component of Antidote X."

The Boys looked so lost. "If we don't take it, we'll stop aging correctly and we won't have any control over our powers," Blossom summarized. "And this is why I invited you here. It's evident that you three didn't suffer any developmental hiccups, so if you let the Professor draw your blood he can sequence your genomes and see how they differ from ours."

Brick crossed his arms again. "And what makes you think I'd willingly give you my blood? Couldn't you use it to synthesize a variant of Antidote X that only affects us?"

The Professor nodded once. "If I were interested in deweaponizing you that is indeed the course of action I would take. But the more practical reason to sequence your DNA is to find out if you're prone to health hazards, which I'm more than certain Mojo Jojo didn't take into account when he engineered you." He adopted a kind, fatherly expression, throwing them off a bit. "The fact of the matter is you were made illegally in an environment with many more risk factors than the one in which my girls were designed. They were created from carefully selected genetic material which was then spliced into specific nucleotide sequences. They'll never develop health problems that affect the majority of humankind: allergies, asthma, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, dementia, cancer… There's a possibility you might suffer any of those issues as you get older, so if we sequence your genomes now you can take preventative measures. What do you say?"

Boomer thrust out his arm. "Take my blood. I don't wanna get sick and die!" The Professor poked his fingertip with a special vial, turning it from clear to red. He'd been wincing but cracked an eye. "Oh, was that it?" Brick also acquiesced, acting like the pinprick was a great invasion of his personal space. It wasn't nearly as unpleasant as the things Him had put them through, though.

"Now we just need a sample from Butch." Blossom handed him a vial. "Could you fly back to school and get one?"

"Are you sure you want to know what he's made of? It's probably terrifying." He accepted the little tube nonetheless, noting a twinkle in her eye. Was she smiling beneath her mask? It took Brick less than a minute to return with Butch's sample. "How long until the results?" he queried.

"One day. If you come over after school tomorrow we can decode them together." The Professor glanced up at that but didn't overrule her invitation. The Rowdyruff Boys seemed to have mellowed out since their youth, and Blossom could handle them if they decided to cause a ruckus in their home. Or at least he had faith that she could.

After they left Blossom went to her room and sat at her computer desk, pondering a potentially risky course of action. She decided to go for it and launched an encryption program before starting her investigation. Somewhere out there on a secure server was all the data the government had appropriated after shutting down Mojo Jojo's lab. There had to be files and notes regarding the Boys' creation, morbid curiosity fueling Blossom's need to learn exactly how Mojo's process differed from the Professor's. And there was also the person who brought the Ruffs back from near-death to consider, some mysterious and brilliant individual who rectified all of Mojo's mistakes and put them on equal footing with the Girls. They shared one last battle before the Rowdyruffs simply got bored and left, and Blossom thought that was the end of things. She thought Townsville would never see them again.

She opened her laptop, launched the same encryption program, and began an automated deep web search for anything regarding their activities. Who had they assassinated and rescued? Which governments had they helped overthrow? What kinds of people had paid for their protection services? The results started trickling in almost immediately, articles and videos and referrals filling the folder she had everything downloaded to. Apparently they'd kept very, very busy over the years and she wondered how much money their illicit activities yielded. What did they even spend it on?

Blossom ate dinner with her family as usual but then went right back to her digital treasure hunt, following paths that led nowhere and constantly backtracking. Finally, at three in the morning, she found the server that Mojo's data had been relocated to. It was in the care of some second-rate security company. She hacked into their network with ease and enacted a brute force attack, letting it run as her eyelids grew heavier and heavier. She fell asleep in her desk chair and only got a few hours before her alarm went off, but her programs had finished running by then. Her laptop said "no more results found" and her desktop said "data extraction complete", so she transferred everything to an external hard drive as she took a shower and got dressed, yawning all the while.

"Need some under eye brightener?" Bubbles offered as soon as she entered the kitchen. Blossom let her sister do her makeup to hide the fact that she'd been up all night. People even commented on how nice she looked when she got to school, which was amusing; nobody complimented her otherwise. She made it through first period, barely, and couldn't fight the veil of slumber any longer upon entering Physics, resting her head on her arms.

Brick arrived at his seat, staring at Blossom. He never expected her to be the type who fell asleep in class. "Wake up," he said, poking her elbow with his pencil. She only mumbled incoherently. He rolled his eyes; not like he cared if she got in trouble for snoozing at her desk. When the teacher walked in he gave the girl a long look before shaking his head slightly. "You're going to let her get away with this?" Brick gestured, frowning.

"Blossom is an exceptional student. I know she'll easily get caught up with the material we cover today. Besides, she must have been awake late for a good reason. Let her be."

Brick scowled at her, but if Blossom were conscious she would have returned the expression with a rather self-satisfied one of her own. The details of his entire life from inception to present-day now existed on a mass storage device in her room.


	4. I Wanna Dance with Somebody

**Chapter Four: I wanna dance with somebody**

The student council election results were in. During sixth period the intercom beeped to life, everyone stilling as Principal Keane announced the winners for each grade. "The junior council members are Susie Jenkins for secretary, Princess Morbucks for treasurer, Wes Goingon for vice-president, and Brick Lucian for president. And finally, the senior council members…" Those names went unheard by most of the juniors as they discussed the four winners, but Miss Keane wasn't finished yet. "A meeting will be held immediately after school where the representatives of each grade will discuss the details of Homecoming. I look forward to seeing you all there!"

Bubbles clapped after the message ended. "Yay, Brick won!"

"Why're you so happy for him?" Boomer wondered.

"I think it'll force him to open up to people. Brick has a real ice king vibe going on." She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Are you gonna sign up to volunteer for the dance? I totally would, but I have ballet class that Saturday."

Boomer looked up from his songbook. "Ballet? Like with tutus and slippers?"

"Uh huh, classical ballet. I've been taking lessons since I was eight. It's _sooo_ fun and the costumes are _sooo_ pretty even if my feet do get kinda sore…" Bubbles suddenly turned bashful. She did that a lot around him, he noticed. "I have a recital next month. Would you maybe wanna come see it?"

"Sure. When is it?" He marked October 12th on his phone calendar before they resumed memorizing their first song for the December concert. They exchanged smiles and waves after class as usual, then Boomer paused to think for a moment instead of heading home right away. If Brick was planning the Homecoming dance and Butch was playing in the Homecoming game, perhaps he should also contribute by volunteering. At the very least he could do so in Bubbles' stead, channel some of her school spirit. He went to the library to sign up.

Now the only Rowdyruff without an after-school commitment, Boomer had the penthouse all to himself. He microwaved something for sustenance and ate at the counter, his gaze drawn to the living room wall opposite. There hung three identical frames with three similar sheets of paper within. The results of their DNA sequencing were cryptic readouts reducing their entire existence to mere combinations of A, C, G, and T. Each sheet had a little note in the margin penned by Professor Utonium.

 _Brick: at risk for melanoma. Use proper sun protection year-round._

 _Boomer: iron and vitamin D deficiencies. Include in diet._

 _Butch: above-average testosterone levels. Do not take anabolic steroids._

Other than that they were perfectly healthy, just not as perfect as the Powerpuff Girls.

September seemingly passed in the blink of an eye; Brick and Butch found themselves under more pressure as Homecoming drew near. The senior council took charge of planning the pre-game pep rally, the junior council prepared for the dance, and the underclassmen were tasked with decorating the school. Boomer basically put it out of sight and mind as the 12th rolled around. He wore slacks and a button-up shirt, tied a tie but then thought better of it before drifting downstairs. "Where are you going?" Brick asked while poring over homework at six p.m.

"Bubbles has a ballet recital," Boomer replied, and a red eyebrow raised. "She invited me."

Brick didn't exactly dislike Bubbles. She was a good writer and contributed to meaningful discussions in Lit-Comp, and she kept him informed of all the goings-on between their peers during lunch. She was the golden girl of Townsville High but he started thinking she had a crush on his brother, which wouldn't work out in her favor. "If you're going to a formal recital, you need to wear a tie." It'd make the Ruffs look bad if one of them were inadequately dressed for such an occasion.

Boomer obliged and took off from the roof, landing outside the performing arts center. He used a window to check his reflection, adjusting his windblown hair before venturing inside where he bumped right into Blossom since he was looking everywhere but in front of himself. She reached out to steady them both. "What on earth are you doing here, Boomer?" she asked.

"Bubbles asked me to come," he explained.

Buttercup gave him a judgmental once-over, deeming his outfit appropriate. "If she invited you, then I guess you can sit with us," she offered. The three of them got situated in a middle row close to the stage, Blossom consulting her program.

"Bubbles' performance is toward the end and she's dancing to… Stravinsky's 'Danse Infernale'? That seems a little aggressive for her." Buttercup flashed a questioning look. "It's from his ballet called 'The Firebird'."

That sounded awesome; now Boomer _really_ couldn't wait to see Bubbles. Before her were two girls with notable presentations. The first was Dee Dee Jones who danced to Tchaikovsky's 'Waltz of the Flowers' in a bright pink tutu. Then came Mimi Taylor, one of Dee Dee and Bubbles' mutual friends. She radiated elegance and poise as she danced five short parts from another Stravinsky ballet, 'Apollo'.

When Bubbles finally appeared Boomer lurched forward to better see her, nearly falling out of his seat. Her costume was… _something_ , a bright red bejeweled bodice with layers of red, orange, and yellow tulle forming the skirt. Her hair was loose yet held back by a golden headpiece and her pointe shoes were scarlet unlike the other girls' white or pink slippers. Bubbles held a pose at center stage and the music abruptly began, strings and horns filling the hall with an ominous air.

She danced like she really was made of fire, erratic yet unerringly graceful, claiming every inch of the stage as her own. Her choreography involved no floorwork; she remained on her feet the whole time, spinning and twirling so much it was a wonder she didn't get dizzy. The whole thing was only about five minutes long and it took Boomer a few seconds to realize she had stopped moving, smiling from ear to ear as she basked in the audience's applause. Bubbles received a standing ovation and waved while heading offstage. The three teens then made their way out to the foyer. "What did you think?" Blossom queried.

Buttercup shrugged. "I liked that song way better than the last one. And her costume was cool." She was not the biggest fan of ballet, finding it much too frilly and girly for her tastes, but she made it to every one of Bubbles' recitals without fail. The Professor, unfortunately, missed most of them.

Blossom nodded. "Boomer?"

"That was _amazing_ ," he gushed. "Can we see her? Is she backstage or something?" As if in answer Bubbles and most of the other dancers walked out still in costume. Boomer rushed over as a blue blur and clasped her hands. "Bubbles, you were fantastic! That song, your outfit, your dance… it was all _so amazing!_ "

She giggled and blushed at his exuberance, Mimi and Dee Dee smiling as they stood to either side of her. "Who's this cutie?" asked the latter, a blonde-haired blue-eyed waif.

"His name is Boomer," Bubbles supplied since he was too busy fawning over her to reply.

"One of Brick's brothers, right?" Mimi offered her hand. She had dark brown skin, big brown eyes, and a smile that made him weak in the knees. "Nice to meet you. I'm the president of the senior student council so I've been working with Brick lately. And your other brother is on the football team, isn't he? Shaping up to be a star quarterback, I hear." Boomer ducked his chin. "So what are _you_ into?"

"Uhh…" He had to think for a moment. It was hard to focus while surrounded by pretty girls. "Photography, I guess. And singing."

Mimi found this acceptable as Dee Dee beamed. "Ooh, I love a cute guy who can sing! You wouldn't happen to have a date for Homecoming already, would ya?"

 _"No!"_ Bubbles shrieked, startling her friends and sisters. Her face flushed. "I mean, he might not even be going! Um, _are_ you going to the dance, Boomer? It might not be that cool!"

"Excuse you," Mimi chastised, "it's going to be great. I've seen the junior council's plan and it's classy as heck."

Blossom cleared her throat. "Yes, well, we're all looking forward to the big game and the dance, but what is your entire ballet class doing out here in the lobby?"

"Oh, did I forget to mention that?" Bubbles smiled sheepishly. "This is a fundraising night."

"Ah. We'll get out of your way, then. You all did a great job and you should be proud of yourselves!" Blossom ushered Buttercup and Boomer out the main entrance, waving to the ballerinas. She smoothed her dress and lifted into the air, flying low so no one could see up it.

"Aww, why do we have to go? Can't we hang out with them?" Boomer whined.

Buttercup had been about to leave but turned back. "Townsville's not exactly arts-friendly, as you might've noticed. Everyone mostly cares about science and technology so this recital was to earn donations from the rich folks in there."

"How much do they need?"

"I dunno, ask the teacher." She left as a pale green streak.

Boomer went and did exactly that, finding a woman in her late twenties speaking to a couple that just oozed wealth. He stepped in front of her after they walked away. "How much do you need to keep teaching ballet?" She blinked at his blunt inquiry before handing him a piece of paper with the financial breakdown of her class. She didn't charge much for lessons so underprivileged kids could afford them. The costs mostly covered equipment and costumes for performances, and she worked another job as a seamstress instead of taking a large cut for herself.

Boomer wrote a check for three times the average yearly amount and proffered it, her eyes boggling. Then she started crying and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, young man. Thank you so much… this will mean the world to my students."

"No problem." He watched Bubbles pirouette for a man in a suit, trying to impress him. "I just think everyone should be able to do what they love."

* * *

Another week passed. The Homecoming game was that Friday night so the excitement was palpable, to say the least. The football team wore their jerseys all day and a few members who were more spirited than Butch painted their faces in Townsville High's burgundy and silver colors. Much to his delight it was also the day Boomer and Blossom were serving in the Culinary Arts booth. He tried flirting with her only to be cockblocked by his brother, and he left in a huff after receiving a full tray of food. Buttercup swung by next. "Heya, Bloss. Can I get a chocolate shake with chai?"

"That sounds weird," Boomer commented.

"Good, though. Try it sometime. And keep the change." She left a five for them and got into the line for standard lunch offerings. Buttercup sipped contentedly until someone walked up and cut in behind her, which was just plain rude. The owner of the voice that addressed her irked her even more.

"Buttercup, hi," Joey said. "Anyone ask you to Homecoming yet?"

"Yep."

"Oh." He paused. "So who're you going with?"

"No one."

"Oh. Well, what if I asked you?"

"I'd tell you no thanks 'cause I'm going stag."

"Wouldn't you be a doe?"

She rolled her eyes and faced him. "What do you want, Finkelmeyer?"

"I want you to go to the dance with me, Utonium," Joey responded in kind.

Buttercup gave him a withering look. "Seriously? We haven't talked in like five, six years and you want me to be your date to the dance outta the blue? Did you forget the part where I don't like you and we're not friends any more?"

He pouted a little. "Why don't you like me?"

"You're a dumb annoying jock!"

"You're a jock too, Miss Libero." She scoffed, turned back around, and then tensed when she felt his hand cupping her butt. "I see you after volleyball practice, y'know. You look _really_ good in those shorts."

"I know I do," Buttercup said evenly.

He scoffed. "Wow, conceited much? You think you're better than everyone 'cause you're a model now?"

"Hell no, but I'm definitely too good for _you_ , Rat Fink." Joey's mouth dropped open, surprised she still remembered that hated nickname from junior high. "Now get your hand off my ass before I break it."

"You wouldn't. I have a game to win tonight." Testing her was a really stupid idea, Joey knew that deep down, but he thought that without her powers she couldn't actually hurt him. Buttercup rounded on him while hooking one of his ankles with her foot, sending him to the ground on a knee. She wrenched his arm behind his back and pushed to the point of dislocating his shoulder. "Argh, shit! Let go, let go!" he cried.

"If you touch me again, or I hear about you groping any other girl, I'll make sure you _never_ use this arm. Got it?" Joey nodded vigorously, sucking his teeth in pain, and Buttercup released him.

He clutched at his upper arm while retreating to the safety of the football table, fully aware that the whole cafeteria knew he'd just tried and failed to put the moves on a Powerpuff Girl. His teammates appeared concerned but no one said anything, a smart decision on their part because he was really fucking pissed now. Who did Buttercup think she was, calling herself too good for him? How dare she embarrass him in front of half the school. Any other girl would be grateful to be his date to Homecoming; who _wouldn't_ want to be seen with the captain of the football team? Joey tried rolling his shoulder and winced. "Fucking bitch…"

Butch regarded him with thinly-veiled amusement. "She coulda popped it outta the socket, y'know. You're lucky."

"The fuck're you talking about?" he spat.

"She trains at an MMA gym." Most of the other players looked at Butch in astonishment. How did the new guy know that about Buttercup, a girl they'd gone to school with for years? Lloyd was already aware of this fact since he took the occasional self-defense lesson at Duke's. "Muay Thai, taekwondo, and I think jiu-jitsu. She coulda jacked you up way more than that."

Joey glowered at the table. No powers but still a badass fighter; evidently the muscles weren't just for show. "Your shoulder gonna be good for the game?" Harry asked.

"It better be." An "or else" went unspoken since he couldn't do anything to Buttercup. No one could. Princess was the only person with any sway over the Powerpuffs and really it was her father and his money. Everyone knew that.

He had mostly put the incident behind him when the intercom buzzed at the end of lunch. "Joey Finkelmeyer, please come to the principal's office." He walked in to see Buttercup leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. Miss Keane didn't look happy and Brick stood beside her desk. What did _he_ have to do with anything?

"Please, sit." Miss Keane laced her fingers beneath her chin, giving him a disapproving look. "Joey, I've known you for a long time. I was your teacher all through elementary school. Imagine how shocked I was to find out you inappropriately touched one of my other students and got into an altercation with her."

"Oh, please," he scoffed. "All I did was ask her to Homecoming."

"And then _grab my ass_ ," Buttercup declared.

Joey lied through his teeth. "No I didn't, _you_ attacked _me_ for no reason. She threatened to break my arm, Miss Keane!"

Brick sighed and met his gaze. His red eyes were really unnerving. "I saw the whole encounter, Joey. I saw you grope Buttercup."

"What the…? How?! You weren't anywhere near the lunch line!" He clamped his mouth shut, realizing he'd just confessed. Miss Keane looked so disappointed in him.

"That type of behavior is not tolerated at this school. I'm putting you on a three-month suspension from the football team starting right now."

Joey blanched. "You mean I won't be able to play in the Homecoming game?" She nodded. "No way! I practiced so hard and the guys are counting on me! Miss Keane, you can't do that! I'm the _captain!_ It's not fair!"

"How is it not fair?" Brick asked. "You made an unwanted sexual advance against someone. If you ask me, you deserve to be off the team entirely."

"Good thing no one's asking you then, _guy_." Brick only arched an eyebrow, clearly judging the fuck out of him. He was just like Buttercup, thinking himself better than everyone when he was really nothing more than a freak of nature. Both of them could go to hell.

* * *

Most of the student body didn't bother returning home after the pep rally, hanging around campus in their designated cliques as they gravitated toward the football stadium. Brick was surprised to see numerous stalls belonging to businesses that had something or other to do with student life: food joints, boutiques, drug stores, auto shops, gyms, etcetera. Some but not all of them were sponsors of the football team. He turned down another aisle and saw a miniature version of Café Een, approaching at the same time as his vice-president. "Hey, you go here? They make the _best_ coffee." Wes had a very slender build enhanced by snug clothing, his pale blond hair and near-white skin making his icy blue eyes really stand out. Brick tolerated him the most because he never challenged his authority. Wes and Susie were best friends who often ganged up on Princess during council meetings since she had no one's interests but her own at heart.

Robin sighed deeply in preparation for his order. "Lay it on me, Wes. I'm ready for you."

The boy considered his options for a moment, hemming and hawing. "I would like… a large…" She groaned. "Mocha with steamed almond milk, extra shot, chocolate drizzle, extra whip, mint chips, and sprinkles on top."

She eyed him for a long moment. "Is that it?"

"Blended. With light ice, please." Wes chuckled at her irritated expression. "Love you. Want something, Brick?" he offered.

Now Blossom waited, pen poised. Brick considered it admirable of her to be working when she'd already served people during lunch. He didn't really want to inconvenience her but Wes was waving a ten in the air, clearly expecting to pay for two beverages. "I'll have a caramel apple cappuccino with no whipped cream, medium."

Wes frowned at his lack of a "please". It was something the whole council had noticed, the way Brick commanded people to do things and never thanked them once the task was finished. Even Princess obeyed him and that was a feat nobody had been able to accomplish. Then again, Brick exuded an aura of superiority far outclassing hers. "Didn't think you had a sweet tooth," Wes commented after they'd received their drinks, walking to the bleachers together.

"I don't really like espresso but it seemed appropriate for the season." He took a sip, noting the addition of cinnamon and nutmeg on top. Did Blossom do that for him? It wasn't unpleasant.

Wes smiled partially. "You're hard to read, Brick. It's been a month and no one's been able to figure you out yet."

"What do they want to know?" he returned.

"Well, Susie thinks you're gay but I'm pretty sure you're not. You're a snappy dresser, though, so I can't quite tell."

Brick found this amusing; he _did_ have decent fashion sense. "I'm not gay."

"Okay, that's a start. Susie owes me five bucks." Wes thought for a moment. "Were you guys in juvie or something before coming here?"

What a hilarious rumor. "No."

"Military academy?"

Oh, he liked that one. "Yes."

"I knew it! Okay… were you surprised the Powerpuff Girls are still in Townsville?"

Yes, actually. Brick assumed they had gone on to bigger and better things as they got older, but here they were living like average, ordinary, normal people. It bothered him a lot more than he let on. "Somewhat. I don't understand why they stuck around."

"They still fight petty crime, you know. It's mostly robberies, thieves coming over from Citiesville hoping to get rich quick. There have been more serious incidents here and there. Like, some scientist went crazy on an experimental drug and tried to shoot up the mall because he thought it was full of zombies. Someone else tried poisoning the city's water supply. And a lady almost brainwashed a bunch of people into jumping off a skyscraper with her. So I for one am glad the Girls haven't left."

They parted ways. Boomer joined his brother, snapping photos at random including one of Brick drinking his cappuccino while scowling at the camera. Then Blossom and Buttercup flew in from above. "Hey…" The latter spoke in a tone only Brick could hear over the marching band's fanfare. "Why'd you tell Keane about what Joey did? I handled it."

He shook his head slowly as if scolding her. "Joey needed to learn his place. He never should've had the audacity to try something like that even if you do weaken yourself with Antidote X. There are consequences for treating you, or any of us, as anything less than super. We're above regular humans in every aspect. Joey had to be reminded of that."

Buttercup's brow furrowed. "I'm not weak, Brick, and I don't need you to crusade or whatever on my behalf. Neither do my sisters. We've dealt with things like that just fine before."

"You shouldn't be _dealing_ with them at all. People should know they're not worth your time because they're so far beneath you." She scoffed and faced forward, donning a contemplative expression. Brick mustered a cheer for his brother as the football team jogged onto the field, the Homecoming game finally underway.

By the end of the fourth quarter Townsville High was down by five points. They had possession of the ball at the one yard line and there were only ten seconds left on the clock. Butch had no idea what to do; he wasn't used to being in a leadership position. There was sweat in his eyes and his muscles were twitching like crazy thanks to a mixture of adrenaline and anxiety. Citiesville had presented an airtight defense all night courtesy of their larger, faster, stronger players. A field goal was a guaranteed three points but the Townies wanted to win. They needed a touchdown yet everyone in the stadium knew Butch was going to get blitzed in an attempt to stop that from happening. It didn't help that their coach was freaking out, suggesting a play Butch ignored because even he knew it had zero chance of success.

"What do you wanna do?" the center asked. "Try a handoff?"

No, not without Joey. He was a running back, tough enough to muscle through the defensive line without an issue. In his stead Butch had relied on tight end Lloyd and the two wide receivers, Mike and another speedy guy named Pablo Torres. "It has to be a pass," Lloyd suggested. "I'll try to get open but that one guy's been on my ass the whole game." He glared across the field.

Butch pushed his sweaty hair back before securing his helmet again. "Pablo, you take the far left. Mike, you go right. Lloyd, you're a decoy. I'll throw to whoever's still standin'."

"That's a garbage plan, man," Harry said, "but I guess it's all we got. We'll keep 'em off ya."

They assumed their formation, Butch backing off from the center. Time slowed to a crawl; he blinked and suddenly the ball appeared in his hands, the clock counting down. He raised his arm, looking left first. Harry fended off the biggest dude on the team who'd been gunning for him. Lloyd instantly got taken down by two guys at once. Pablo was free and clear for all of a second until someone drove sideways at him. That left Mike. Butch retreated a step, then another when he didn't see him. Was he down already? Should he run the ball in himself? He almost lowered his arm until Mike's 88 jersey flashed in his periphery, sprinting behind the pack with his hand up. Butch made the pass just as he was tackled at the waist.

He wasn't sure if Mike caught it or not until a deafening roar of applause reached his ears and someone hauled him upright. The Citiesville side looked disappointed so did that mean the Townies had won? Cheerleaders ran onto the field and several of his teammates picked them up, spinning them around. Then Joey did the same thing to Mike. "You squirrely bastard! That was awesome!" he exclaimed.

"What happened?" Butch asked, vaguely aware that people were smacking and congratulating him.

"Forty-five reached him right as he had the ball in his hands, but he did this crazy ninja roll and the dude totally missed him! It was epic!"

Mike grinned. "It was just a backwards somersault, but 'crazy ninja roll' sounds cooler so let's go with that." He nudged Butch's arm. "Nice throw, by the way."

"Thanks…" He was somewhat distracted by the way Boomer, Buttercup, and Blossom were shouting his praises in the stands. Brick had his arms crossed as usual but wore what resembled a proud smile. It could've been a trick of the light, though, or perhaps that last hit had rattled his brain. Butch felt tired and sore having kept his power down throughout the game, expected to play like a normal person. He didn't like the sensation of aching all over.

After returning to the locker room the door slammed open and the Citiesville coach barged in, fuming. "It's come to my attention that there's a _superhuman_ on your team." He glowered at a few players. "You cheated, didn't you? That last play was impossible."

Joey instantly refuted the claim. "You wanna talk about cheating? Most of your guys look roided out!"

Their own coach stepped up. "We weren't keeping it a secret that Butch Lucian is a super, but he didn't use an ounce of his power the whole game."

"Bullshit. You can't prove that," the man refuted.

He grabbed a little device from his office and slapped it onto Butch's chest. "This is an output monitor. It was made to ensure Bubbles and Buttercup Utonium weren't using their powers when they started participating in team sports. The athletic director was nice enough to give me one for Lucian here. Let me show you how it works." He motioned for Butch to join him outside, the other man following. Then he handed the boy a football and jogged a ways away. "Throw that ball to me just like you did Mike!" Butch obliged; his coach caught it easily. "Look at the monitor! It's reading zero percent exertion of Chemical X, isn't it?" The other man hummed. "Now, Butch, throw it to me while using a bit of your super strength. Not too much, though. I'd rather you not take my hand off." He wasn't so sure about this but did it anyway, wincing when the coach was knocked off his feet and skidded across the ground. Thankfully he stood back up. "Ooh, ouch, never doing that again. What's the readout?"

"An X factor of two percent." The gruff man folded his arms, frowning. "What're you trying to prove?"

"That if this kid used just one percent of his strength his own teammates wouldn't have been able to catch his passes. If he had his power raised it would've felt like running into a steel beam to your defense. He can also fly, but his feet didn't leave the ground even once. He didn't cheat."

"Hmph, fine. But I'll be keeping an eye on you the rest of the season, _Lucian_." The Citiesville coach stomped off and the Townie coach sighed.

"Sorry about that. Go get changed and head home. You deserve a decent night's rest after the win you pulled off today. I expect you to keep that up."

Butch grinned. Brick never praised him for his hard work so it felt good to be acknowledged for once. "Thanks, Coach. I will."

* * *

Bubbles' weekend began as most Saturdays did, with a big family breakfast over which the Girls shared the details of their lives with the Professor. After finishing her crepes, which Blossom only made once a month, she attended a three-hour ballet lesson combining all of her teacher's students into one class. December was going to be a busy month. Bubbles had a company performance, the winter choir concert, and Susie let slip that the junior council had planned a fun field trip. Not to mention she was working on a big project for art class _and_ she still had cheer practice and games to attend. When she returned home at 1:00 she rounded up her sisters to prepare them for the Homecoming dance that began at 7:30.

One would think six hours was plenty of time for three teenage girls to make themselves presentable. One would be mistaken because these were the Powerpuff Girls and they never half-assed anything.

The Professor, enjoying a break from his research, chuckled to himself at the commotion unfolding above his head all day. As his watch struck 7:10 he moved to the foot of the stairs. "Girls, are you ready yet?" His three beautiful daughters appeared on the top step, his smile fading. "Well, don't you look lovely," he said in slight dismay. Boys were definitely going to notice them. "You have your IDs and money for photos?" They nodded, good to go.

Princess took on the responsibility of checking IDs to ensure no kids from Citiesville snuck in to cause trouble, giving the Puffs her typical derisive sneer. The main gym had been transformed into a classy venue thanks to the strategic arrangement of fabric panels, backdrops, hanging lanterns and colorful lights. The floor had also been carpeted and there were tables of finger foods and desserts along one wall, including a chocolate fountain that Bubbles made a beeline toward. Blossom and Buttercup surveyed the crowd for a minute, trying to locate at least one of their friends, but it was hard to differentiate people in the dim lighting when they were tightly clustered. "Is… is that _Boomer?_ " Blossom gaped, squinting at a boy in the booth. The other guy looked like a high school student too but it was no one she recognized.

"Yeah, it is. The hell is he doing up there?" Buttercup cast her gaze around the gym until spying Butch on the sidelines with some other football players. Upon approach they fell silent, radiating hostility. Apparently it was her fault that Townsville High almost lost the game yesterday because she got Joey suspended from the team. "Since when is your brother a DJ?" she inquired, ignoring everyone but Butch.

He smiled broadly. "Beats me. I'll tell you how it happened, though. There was a problem with the DJ Brick booked, but then Mimi called her friend Dee Dee and Dee Dee called some dude who's an amateur DJ! He saved the dance by bringin' all his equipment, then Boomer got in there with him and started doin' things we didn't know he could do!"

Buttercup raised her brow, impressed. "Huh. That's nice of them."

As she strode away from their clique, Mike and Harry sighed longingly. "She's so friggin' _hot_ ," the latter commented. "Joey told us not to pay her any attention, but… fuck, man. Just 'cause Buttercup shot _him_ down don't mean the rest of us don't got a chance."

That was exactly what it meant. If Joey couldn't have her, no one could; he'd told the entire team to ostracize her from now on. Butch thought about ignoring the command and asking Buttercup to dance but he didn't want his new friends to turn on him. He used his X-ray vision to admire her through the hundreds of bodies separating them. Her dressed looked expensive, a little black strapless garment with sparkly fabric, and she stood just over six feet tall in black cage heels. Her hair was fucking awesome, the undercut slicked back like a sci-fi heroine. Butch never had a thing for short-haired girls until Buttercup came along. The fact that he now had a life-sized poster of her Crush ad pinned to the ceiling above his bed also did little to quench his thirst. Brick would probably flip shit if he found out about it, but the brothers seldom ventured into rooms that weren't their own. His fantasies would stay secret.

Buttercup rejoined her siblings at the dessert table for all of a moment, then Dee Dee, Mimi, and Julie spirited Bubbles away into the mob. "Hope she doesn't get trampled," she spoke around a macaron.

Bubbles had been on her feet all day. She'd twisted and rolled her ankles more times than they could count, and she made the objectively bad decision to wear five-inch heels tonight. Her sisters were prepared to fly her home with an injury, but much to their surprise Bubbles made an objectively good decision to come back with her shoes in hand, surrendering them to Blossom. "Can you put these somewhere? Under a table or something?" Buttercup snickered as she went to find a suitable spot. Unfortunately Blossom's departure left her susceptible to receiving invitations to dance.

She didn't recognize most of the boys in the parade, turning them away with as much politeness as she could muster, but their leering and the sheer number of requests wore her down quickly. Buttercup had just dipped a strawberry into the chocolate fountain when someone tapped her shoulder, and she rounded on them. "I don't wanna dance with any of you pervs!" Mitch's eyes widened as the confection decorated his cheek. "Oh shit, sorry."

"S'okay," he chuckled, transferring it to his mouth. "Mmm, that's the gourmet shit. Who sprung for this spread, huh?" The junior council was in charge of organizing the dance so it could only be one person. "Princess," they answered in unison, laughing together. Buttercup abruptly clamped her mouth shut. They weren't friends anymore, not now that he just wanted to stick his dick in her. Mitch shrank back a little. "Um… I came to ask if you wanted to get out there, but… I guess that's a no?"

Buttercup almost felt guilty for icing him out. Almost. He had been her best friend since kindergarten but she no longer trusted him, not after what he said about her on a not-so-secret forum. Mitch, Lloyd, Floyd, Mike… She read every single one of their comments. They didn't regard her as a person, just some _thing_ to use for pleasure. It hurt more than she cared to admit. She couldn't help but wonder if they'd kept her in their little club of misfits as the token chick they might get lucky enough to bang someday. She felt so empowered during the Crush shoot, gladly accepting the opportunity to show that strong, muscular women like her could still be feminine enough to wear perfume, but nobody else seemed to see it that way. The straight male population only saw a piece of ass, like she was no longer a goddamn superhuman who could kick theirs to the Moon.

She bailed.

"Buttercup!" Blossom called, but her sister was gone. She leaned against the risers and closed her eyes to gather her thoughts. The music was too loud and not to her taste, but she could hear the minor tweaks Boomer and his accomplice made to each song, skillfully transitioning from one to the next. And he seemed to be having fun with it which was what mattered.

"Hey," said a voice from above. Blossom craned her neck to find Brick standing on the risers with the red heels dangling from one finger. "Why did you leave your shoes up here?"

"They're Bubbles', not mine," she explained.

He set them down. "Why isn't she wearing her shoes? The floor is clean, but I doubt it'd be very pleasant if someone stepped on her toes."

"That would indeed be detrimental to a ballerina."

Brick joined her at ground level. "And what are you doing in the corner by yourself? Has no one asked you to dance yet?"

"I haven't given anyone the opportunity," Blossom replied. She was more concerned with making sure her sisters had a nice time, although Bubbles required no assistance in that endeavor. "Buttercup just left for some reason. I should bring her back."

"Want help?"

She blinked at him, incredulous. "You're offering?" By now it had been established that Brick _never_ went out of his way for others.

"You and your sisters are the only ones I'd voluntarily assist," he stated.

"Why?"

He donned a rather patronizing expression. "Because you can't help yourselves as long as you keep taking Antidote X."

Well then. "Thanks, but no thanks," Blossom said scathingly. "I'll find her myself." She spun on her heel and returned outside, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Buttercup, if you can hear me we need to have our photo taken for the Professor! Come back, please!" A few seconds later her sister walked around the side of the building, arms folded. "What happened?"

"I shouldn't've come to this stupid thing. I had like thirty dudes ask me to dance with them! They all just wanna grind on me!"

"Well, you can stick with our friends. We'll keep the boys away from you," Blossom suggested. Buttercup acquiesced with a groan.

An hour passed, then another. Brick maintained his vigil over the gym from his position atop the risers, occasionally descending to grab a bite to eat. From there he saw and heard everything but his focus mostly remained on the Powerpuff Girls. Bubbles was doing her thing, shaking and shimmying her diminutive assets without a care as to who saw or what they thought. Buttercup loosened up significantly, laughing alongside Susie and Wes as looks from jealous boys went unnoticed. Brick kept an eye on Joey for a while, wondering if he'd make a move against Buttercup, but he seemed too wrapped up in his female companion. Butch was dancing with a different girl whenever he glanced over, no doubt enjoying the popularity brought on by winning the game yesterday.

And then there was Blossom, easy to discern among the mass thanks to her white dress. His breath kept catching at the sight of her beaming face as she spun with Robin. She appeared so carefree, genuinely having a good time, and Brick wondered if she knew some formal style of dance because her feet kept moving in a distinct pattern as her hips swung from side to side. Those motions were… interesting.

The music wound down so Boomer could address the crowd. "Alright everybody, we're gonna take a short break to hydrate. And we're gonna take some requests!" The notepad and pen he proffered immediately disappeared into the audience. "Boomerang and Darkboy will return in fifteen minutes!"

Brick wore an amused smile as he met Boomer in front of the catered food. "Boomerang and Darkboy?" he repeated.

"Yeah, they're the perfect DJ names!" He grabbed a bottle of water and emptied it without taking a breath, gasping. "Man, it's hot up there."

"It's because we're surrounded by electronics and sweaty people," said the tall, lanky, bespectacled boy who had saved the Homecoming dance. Brick saw red when he called the DJ's agent at 7:00 only to find out he'd written down the wrong date and was already at another gig. Luckily Mimi had been on volunteer duty, saying she knew someone who knew someone. Mandark Astronomonov attended Pacific Science Academy, a private school on Townsville's western coast, but retained a massive crush on Dee Dee and accepted her request to play music for her school without hesitation. He got into it after abandoning his rivalry with Dexter since they focused on different technological fields. Brick had no idea where his brother had picked up mixing skills. In any event, two sets of hands were probably better than one. They had a couple more hours of spinning tunes before the dance ended.

When they returned to the booth Bubbles approached with the notepad. Some of the requests were too obscure or didn't fit the mood, but Mandark did his best incorporating most of them into a playlist. There'd be a lot more slow jams during the second half. "Is my song gonna make the cut?" Bubbles asked. Boomer couldn't recognize her handwriting and so didn't know what she wanted to hear. "Tell you what, if it comes on I'll come back and you _have_ to dance with me. Deal?"

"O-okay…" He blushed as she grinned and flounced away.

Mandark smirked a little. "You must like her a lot. You've been staring at her all night."

"I'm not staring!" Boomer refuted, "I just…" Okay, yeah, he'd been staring at Bubbles. But how could he not when she looked so beautiful? She wore a bright red dress, her wavy golden hair kept catching the lights, and her smile illuminated the whole room.

With Buttercup protected by friends and Bubbles having the time of her life, Blossom extricated herself from the crowd to become a wallflower. Being around this many people for so long wore her out, and Robin had been whisked away by Mike who she purportedly did _not_ have any romantic feelings for despite mutual flirting since junior high. After her pulse returned to normal she loaded a plate with fruit and ate idly, staring off into space.

"Hey." An annoyed breath escaped her nose as she turned toward Brick again. "What I said before… I didn't mean you're _always_ helpless, only when you're on the antidote."

Blossom rolled her eyes. "I got that, thanks."

"I don't understand why you intentionally make yourselves vulnerable to the sort of advances that drove Buttercup away earlier. I know you take the antidote to regulate your biochemistry, but couldn't Professor Utonium synthesize a compound to do that without nullifying your powers?"

"It was part of the settlement with the Morbucks. We don't have a choice."

He moved closer. "Who's going to stop you? Who can stand up to your powers? My brothers and I are the only ones in the world, Blossom. Everyone knows better than to mess with us because they fear what we'd do to them in retaliation."

"We don't _want_ people to fear us, Brick! We just want to be normal!" They frowned at one another. "We have _friends_ , not clients. We care about people other than ourselves. I don't expect you to understand that." It certainly was true that Brick didn't have any friends and he didn't care about anyone besides his brothers. Moving often wasn't conducive to forming meaningful relationships so he never bothered to try, and people who weren't the Rowdyruffs might up as collateral damage since they'd made their fair share of enemies among their line of work. Blossom heaved a sigh. "What I don't get is why you expended so much effort on something that everyone but you seems to be enjoying."

Brick shrugged one shoulder. "Who says I'm not having fun?" She looked dubious. "I don't dance, not like you. And I refuse to dance like Butch, if you can even call it that."

Blossom tittered and he smirked. Nice to know that deriding his siblings amused her as much as him. "I _did_ learn a few moves from the host family I stayed with in Mexico, but that's ballroom salsa. I think I'm the only student who knows it." She eyed him with curiosity. "Would you… like me to show you?"

Normally he would have denied such a frivolous proposal without hesitation, but the combination of her pristine white dress, her done-up red hair, and her eyes framed by gold shadow gave her the semblance of an autumn goddess even if she lacked the power to uphold such a title. Brick quickly dismissed his feelings of superficial attraction in favor of pettiness. She had denied his offer to retrieve Buttercup so he would be the better person and accept her invitation to dance. "After you."

Blossom smiled and took hold of his hand.


	5. The Party Don't Start Till I Walk In

**Chapter Five: The party don't start till I walk in**

About a week after Homecoming, Princess invited the junior and senior classes to a celebration of All Hallow's Eve at the Morbucks mansion. Costumes were optional but encouraged, and when Bubbles read this a grin split her lips. She kept her enthusiasm contained until she sat down with Brick and Buttercup for lunch. "No," her sister immediately said, "I'm not going to that stupid party."

"Oh, come _on!_ " Bubbles pleaded. "I thought of the perfect costumes for us, and you don't even have to buy anything! Well, maybe a shirt or something but that's it, I swear! Pleeease?"

Buttercup held firm. "Nope. I'm not dancing again till Prom."

"But it's _Halloween!_ It's, like, my second-favorite holiday!" The first being their combined birthday. "What about you, Brick? Are you guys going?"

He didn't have much of a choice since Max had deposited extra money into their account to buy their attendance. Brick was pretty sure Princess put her father up to it. "We'll be there," he confirmed.

Bubbles waited until she and Buttercup finished their respective team practices to needle her some more. "Know what theme I came up with? Magical creatures! I'm gonna be a unicorn and I'm turning Blossom into a mermaid. I thought you could be a dragon!"

Well, that sounded kinda cool. "How would I be a dragon?" she wondered.

"You have that leather bolero and those black corset leggings, right?" Bubbles knew her sisters' wardrobes as well as her own. "All you need is a shiny green shirt and then I was gonna do your hair and paint some scales on your face."

Buttercup mulled it over while stowing her knee pads in her locker. The sheer awesomeness of such a getup might be worth the discomfort of attending another party. "Fine, I'll go," she consented. Bubbles squee'd and hugged her tightly.

Halloween was on a Thursday and the school district had the good sense to give students a four-day weekend. Bubbles had a very specific vision for Blossom, dressing her in a seafoam top, a crocheted shawl adorned with shells and wooden beads, and an ombre aqua skirt. She went all out with the makeup; Blossom was barely recognizable when she finished, only her pink irises giving her away. Buttercup donned some clawed midi rings and did her own bold eye makeup as Bubbles wielded a paintbrush on her face. Lastly the blonde Puff transformed herself into a mystical unicorn with a ruffled silver dress, rainbow hair chalk, plenty of glitter, and a horned tiara.

The sisters walked over to Robin's house to catch a ride with her. At the mansion the four girls were relieved to see they weren't the only ones in costumes, although theirs were among the most elaborate. Mike's jaw dropped when he saw them, then he nudged the twins Floyd and Lloyd who whispered to Mitch. Suddenly the whole room was staring, even Princess. She closed her mouth and regained her air of indifference before greeting them. "Powerpuff Girls, Robin, I'm glad you could make it. You look… nice." That was definitely an understatement. "Help yourselves to food in the kitchen and feel free to check out the theater downstairs, it's playing scary movies. If you feel like dancing the ballroom is that way." She forced a smile. "I hope you have fun."

"Thanks for inviting us," Blossom courteously replied, blushing at how many sets of eyes were trained upon her. Bubbles relished the attention and Buttercup simply ignored it, but as soon as she tried walking across the room she was swarmed by students who wanted to compliment and take selfies with her. When she managed to extricate herself from the adoring mass she looked around, seeing she'd been separated from her sisters. Great.

"Hey baby," said some guy, "wanna dance?"

"No thanks," Buttercup muttered.

"Why not? You a dyke?"

"No, I just don't feel like dancing right now." Especially not with presumptive assholes.

"Can I get a pic, then?"

She scowled. "Dude, seriously?"

"You're a model, right? Aren't you used to it?" He held up his phone expectantly. Buttercup could've launched into a rant about how professional photoshoots were nowhere near the same as posing for random cell phone pictures, but she knew no one cared. She rolled her eyes before sticking out her hip. The guy grinned and walked off admiring his shot, not even thanking her. Why the fuck had she agreed to come to this thing again? Oh yeah, because _Bubbles_ was her sister and no one on the planet had the willpower to resist when she batted those golden lashes.

Buttercup ventured into the kitchen where Joey, playing beer pong with his buddies, spotted her and did a spit-take, other team members having similar reactions when they followed his gaze. He demanded they pay her no mind but the guys continued sneaking glances. Taking full advantage of the opportunity to press his buttons, she drummed her metal nails on the marble countertop, smirking as the boy holding the ping pong ball silently begged her to stop distracting him. After a couple minutes Joey rounded on her. "You mind fucking off, Buttercup? We're trying to play a game here." She smiled sweetly and gave him the middle finger before strutting away. The boys released a collective sigh of relief. "Really, you guys? You're that weak?"

"Back off, man," Harry returned. "You'd hafta be blind not to notice her." Butch chose that moment to arrive, half his teammates greeting him exuberantly while the other half laughed at his costume. "The hell're you s'posed to be?"

"A musketeer!" Butch menaced a few friends with his plastic sword. "Be honest, guys. What're my odds of gettin' laid like this?" His answers were zero, slim, and not great. "Damn. Hey, did you see Buttercup?" Joey shot him a glare. "'Cause I haven't, nope. I have no clue how fine she looks in that outfit."

"You're a shit liar," Joey said, but instead of berating him further he pulled a small bag from his pocket and handed Butch a tablet. "Why don't you make yourself useful by getting Buttercup to take that?"

"What is it?" Butch asked.

"Molly."

"Molly?"

"MDMA. It's the pure form of ecstasy."

He knew that already; the Ruffs had taken down drug rings all across the globe. "Why do you wanna give her molly?"

Joey rolled his eyes, no doubt considering him quite dense. "So she'll loosen up and mess around with someone, anything that'll put a black mark on her reputation. Just do it, okay?"

Butch walked off, frowning. Joey really wanted to drug Buttercup so she'd do something embarrassing? That didn't sit right with him. They weren't exactly friends but she tolerated his antics in Chemistry and let him copy her homework whenever he forgot to do it. And she was a superhuman like him, his only equal in the world according to Brick. The whole school was still up in arms about Buttercup being a model who intentionally objectified herself, which meant it wasn't wrong for her peers to do the same, but to Butch she was a hot girl who had _also_ put up a good fight with her powers nullified for which he greatly admired her.

On impulse Butch took the molly himself. Within minutes he could no longer keep his feet on the ground, drifting aimlessly around the mansion like a dandelion seed on a breeze. He'd never been so relaxed and at peace. Bass summoned him to the ballroom where music filled his head with sounds he never knew existed, and he floated on his back while the air itself reverberated around him. Someone grabbed his hand, fingers soft as silk, and he looked down into a pair of pretty brown eyes on an even prettier face. "You're gorgeous," he declared.

The girl laughed a little. "Thanks. You're Butch Lucian, right? The star quarterback and Rowdyruff Boy?"

"That's me."

"Nice to finally meet you! I'm Li Leigh." Butch failed at shaking her hand, earning another giggle. "Feel like dancing with me?" He had to focus really hard on vertically orienting himself, closing his eyes to a head rush. When he opened them Leigh gave him a flirty smile. "You're so tall. Never thought I embodied the short Asian stereotype until now."

He stopped hovering. "Better?" She answered by winding her arms around his neck. Her fingertips grazed the nape, sending a tingle down his spine, and her hips shifting back and forth against his got him very aroused very quickly. Butch pulled away. "Sorry, I'm…" Well, it wasn't like she couldn't tell.

Leigh eyed him from beneath her long lashes. "Can I kiss you?" Butch blinked before she stood on her tiptoes to press her lips to his. It was, without a doubt, the greatest kiss he'd ever received, but maybe the molly was responsible. He groaned at the euphoric sensation filling him from head to toe to other head, holding her tightly to return the gesture with more enthusiasm. Leigh made a noise against his mouth, a moan or a sigh or something indicating she was into it. They stood there making out in the middle of the dance floor for who knew how long. Music continued washing over Butch, treble and bass and melodies and harmonies built upon the beat of his pounding heart. He was hot all over, skin prickling and burning from the inside, but he didn't want to let go of Leigh because her body felt so good against his. "Mmm, Butch… should we take this upstairs?" she murmured.

"Fuck yeah." They wasted no time finding a bedroom, having the good sense to lock the door before tearing at each other's clothes. Once undressed they fell into bed together, Butch caressing Leigh's smooth skin and running his fingers through her inky hair. He was fascinated by the feel of her tight little muscles flexing in response to his touch. "You're so sexy…" he said a bit breathlessly. "Why haven't I seen you before?"

"I'm a senior. I really wanted to say hi to you at Homecoming, but I'm shy. And then you just kind of appeared out of the blue back there, so…"

"So you decided to jump my bones?"

Leigh shifted nervously atop him. "I think you're hot, okay? If you don't really want to do this…"

"No, I do. I really, _really_ need you right now, babe. Ride me into the sunset." She giggled at his desperate request but he wanted it more than anything, the molly flooding him with too many feel-good chemicals. Butch had also been starved for physical intimacy since arriving in Townsville, trying his best to obey Brick's wishes by not getting into trouble, but he had this itch he needed to scratch or else he went kind of crazy. Playing football helped channel some of that destructive energy but sex was much better at mitigating it, and he greatly appreciated the nude female form besides.

Butch idly wondered if Buttercup's battle lust had dwindled since they were kids. Did she play volleyball and do MMA training to keep herself in check, or did taking Antidote X on a regular basis do it for her? Maybe she simply outgrew her violent tendencies. Regardless, she hadn't been drugged and Butch was getting his brains fucked out. Win-win.

* * *

Robin was a good friend. She recognized how uncomfortable Blossom felt with literally all eyes on her and stuck by her side until the attention waned. They chatted with some people, played a few games, and tried watching a horror film while eating caramel apples, but it was too gory so they returned upstairs. After getting a refill at the punch bowl Robin took a sip and frowned; it didn't taste as sweet as before. When she rejoined her friends Julie suddenly gasped at something across the room and the four of them turned as one.

"No way, is that Brick?" Wes snickered. "He's the last person I expected to show up in costume."

Robin elbowed him. "At least he's not wearing a _dress_."

"It's a toga, thank you."

"Actually it's a chiton," Blossom corrected. "In Ancient Rome, men wore togas and women wore stolas. In Ancient Greece, both men and women wore chitons."

Wes scrutinized her before throwing his arms around her. "You're so smart and beautiful, Blossom. If I were straight I'd totally date you." She pulled a face that amused the other girls, then Julie gasped again while flailing her hands.

"Guys, _guys!_ Brick's coming over here! Act natural!"

"Do you like him or something?" Susie asked.

"Of course! There are very few redheads in existence, you know! We need to stick together and populate the world with adorable ginger babies!"

"Oh, sweetie…" She patted Julie consolingly. "I don't think Brick is interested in making babies."

That was an odd statement to walk in on. Brick waited until the five friends recovered from their laughter. "Wes, Susie, I wanted to let you know I finished calculating the full cost of the field trip. We can discuss fundraising options on Monday."

Susie tried putting her arm around his shoulders but he was much too tall, six-foot-two compared to her four-foot-ten. "Brick, it's super awesome that you're always on top of things, but this is a party and you need to chillax. No school talk here." Robin tittered at the bemused, almost indignant expression on his face. Maybe something in the punch had loosened their tongues.

"And your costume is great!" Wes added. "You really rock the feather hat."

"Thanks." Brick hadn't planned on dressing up for Halloween but Boomer insisted they had to go as the Three Musketeers. Turned out he'd arrived at the party ahead of his brothers because Princess wanted him to do the music, so what was the point when they hadn't even shown up together? Susie and Julie were both dressed like witches, and Robin's fairy costume was pretty cute, but Brick's attention remained firmly on Blossom. She was downright captivating, all the blues and greens contrasting her wavy red hair, and her shirt revealed a sliver of skin he kept eyeing. He stared a minute longer, realized how weird it must seem, then abruptly turned and left. He went to the kitchen where he'd last seen Butch but his brother was no longer there. He wandered the mansion, denying offers of beer and wine and harder liquors in addition to requests to dance from girls whose names he hadn't bothered to learn. What was up with people and dancing, anyway? Most of them weren't even good at it.

But Blossom was. At Homecoming she led him to as open an area as they were going to find in the crowded gym and demonstrated the basic salsa steps. _"Relax,"_ she said, _"move your hips."_ He hesitated. _"Just try it! No one's watching us."_ She held his hands again, showed him how to spin her, and he hadn't let go until the dance ended two hours later. They were both a little sweaty but her smile was radiant. Seeing the joy on her visage made his heart beat faster when it was supposed to be slowing down. _"That was fun, Brick. You're a quick study."_

He should ask Blossom to salsa again. Average teenagers typically danced during parties and doing so would help him maintain a semblance of normality. He started retracing his steps only to run into Princess. "Brick, there you are. I've been looking for you!"

"What for?" he inquired.

The flirty smile she flashed didn't work on him. "I just wanted to thank you for what you've accomplished so far. You know, with that _thing_ Daddy hired you to do. Two benefactors removed in two months is more than we expected."

He shrugged off the praise. "If we weren't also focused on school we'd be working a lot faster."

"Oh, it's perfectly fine. Like Daddy said, there's no rush. It'd seem very suspicious if all the funding behind genome research suddenly dried up." She gave him a once-over. "You look so handsome in that outfit. Care to dance with a lady?" Princess proffered her hand and he accepted it wordlessly, annoyed that they sort of matched since she was dressed as Marie Antoinette. A slow song was playing when they reached the ballroom. Brick tried his hardest not to cringe as Princess wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest, sighing dreamily. "So calm. What does it take to get your blood flowing, huh?"

Fire fights. Espionage. Sabotage. Manhunts. Dancing with Blossom. "I have to remain calm in my line of work," he replied.

Princess snorted. "All work and no play will make you a dull boy. I know you wouldn't have come without a monetary incentive."

Brick refrained from rolling his eyes. "If you're attempting to buy my affection, just stop. Even if by some miracle I were interested, I wouldn't do anything to risk losing out on the other half of your father's payment."

"Usually I'd say everyone has a price, even you, but I know you're a force that can't be tamed, Brick. If I put you in a gilded cage you'd just melt it and fly away." Princess tossed her red curls, turning her nose in the air. "Besides, I don't go for boys who make me feel small. You honestly infuriate me sometimes. I just want you to have fun at my party. You're always so uptight." He grunted and she grinned deviously. "Want something to drink? I mean something good from the bar in Daddy's office."

"No thank you."

"You don't even know what he has! C'mon, we'll find something to help you loosen up." She pulled him after her, but just as they entered the hallway Brick caught sight of something that made his blood simmer. Joey, Harry, and Pablo had Buttercup trapped in a corner and the expression on her face indicated she was about to go on the offensive. Brick had the fleeting thought of letting her kick their asses but he didn't want her to suffer repercussions; doubtless Princess wouldn't be so lenient of fighting in her home. He shook her off and made a beeline for the wayward Puff.

"Hey, Buttercup, Bubbles has been looking for you. She wants to see how your face paint is holding up."

Now that they had an audience the three boys had no choice but to let Buttercup brush past them and make her escape. "It's fine, I'm wearing like a gallon of setting spray." Still she went with Brick until they were out of earshot, then she side-eyed him. "Didn't I tell you I don't need to be rescued?"

"For your information I was saving myself from Princess," he returned. "I think she wanted to get me drunk, but I don't do that."

"You wouldn't, Mister Control Freak. Have you actually seen Bubbles at all?" Brick shook his head. "Me neither, but she's not exactly hard to miss covered in rainbow sparkles." Just to be on the safe side Buttercup sent her sister a text and received an instant response. Bubbles was listening to ghost stories around the outdoor fire pit. When she and Brick entered the living room Robin jumped on them.

"Butters, there y'are! Wanna join me 'n Blossom for Truth or Dare?"

She immediately noticed the slurring. "You drunk, Robin?" Buttercup sipped the punch, lips pursing. "There's vodka in this."

"No _way!_ I only had a couple refills." Robin waved it off. "Whatever. So you wanna play or not?" Buttercup consented with a groan, then the girl trained her big blue eyes on Brick. "How 'bout you?"

"I've never played," he answered.

"Then you gotta!" Robin led him upstairs while Buttercup and Blossom followed. "The rules are super simple. Someone spins a bottle and whoever it lands on has to answer a yes-or-no question or do a dare, then that person spins the bottle. Got it?"

Brick wasn't so sure about this game, but as a Truth or Dare newbie he got to go first. The bottle landed on Mike, then Wes, then Mitch. Some senior complained about it being a sausage fest right as Mitch's spin landed on Buttercup. Of course she chose a dare. "I dare you to… shave your head!" The girls all gasped but Buttercup refused to chicken out. The players found an electric razor in a guest bathroom and watched solemnly as she buzzed off her stylish undercut, leaving her with short black fuzz. She stared blankly at her new reflection. Bubbles was so going to cry when she saw her.

"You still look awesome, you know," Mike remarked. Mitch agreed but he seemed regretful.

Buttercup wordlessly took her turn, landing on Susie, then came Brick. He considered his options and the possible results, asking for a dare. It probably wasn't a good sign that Susie cackled evilly. "Brick, I dare you to kiss the hottest girl in the room!"

He would never admit to making such a gross error in judgment. He certainly wasn't about to admit to never having kissed anyone before. Buttercup gave him the slightest of glares as his attention lingered on her, but then his gaze slid to Blossom. If he was going to kiss someone for the very first time it may as well be the most beautiful girl in Townsville.

Blossom sat like a statue as he scooted over to her. Brick, who was callous and arrogant and detested physical contact even more than he disliked people in general, could not seriously be about to kiss her on a stupid dare! Her face paled as she realized he was really going through with it. He knelt, cupped her cheek with one hand, and leaned in. Before she could react in any way, like tell him to pick someone else, his lips met hers.

It was… not unpleasant.

Her mouth was sweet with the taste of fruit punch and caramel apples. He felt the tension leave her body, then she exuded a tiny sigh. That faint sound sent a surge of pride through him; good to know he was doing it correctly despite having no experience whatsoever. Then again, he was an expert at faking things until he made them. How long was he supposed to kiss her, anyway?

Wes cleared his throat. Brick pulled away, opening his eyes to see Blossom flushed and wearing an expression he really couldn't describe. "Susie, there's your proof that Brick isn't gay. Now gimme my five bucks." The brunette went "hmph" and slapped a bill into his palm. After Brick was Mimi, her spin landing on Blossom.

"Umm… truth?"

Mimi grinned. "Is Brick a better kisser than Dexter?" Her jaw dropped and a few other people gasped at Mimi's audacity; they all knew that was the one line not to cross with Blossom. She rose to her feet and ran out the door, Robin giving chase. Buttercup trailed them with a sigh.

After a solid minute of awkward silence Brick abandoned the game as well. It was his fault for embarrassing Blossom since he didn't _have_ to accept Susie's dare. People usually kissed those they were physically attracted to or had an emotional connection with, and they were barely acquaintances at most. She likely felt nothing from that. He wished he could go back in time and do it differently. Brick froze upon realizing he was not averse to the notion of kissing Blossom again, then he shook his head almost violently. That thought could fuck right off. He was in Townsville for a job, not to get up close and personal with any of the goddamn Powerpuff Girls. He wasn't about to start any kind of relationship with _Blossom_ of all people. He had to be high to even conceive such a ridiculous idea.

Using his X-ray vision, Brick scanned the mansion and found the three girls on an upstairs balcony. He flew out the nearest window, drifting skyward with honest intentions of apologizing to Blossom, but he faltered when their conversation reached his ears. "Don't be too pissed at Mimi," Buttercup said. "She didn't mean it, she's drunk. And she doesn't know all the details of why you and Dex broke up, like we do."

"It was totally _not_ your fault, Blossom," Robin spoke next. "You know that, right? You weren't too needy and you didn't push him away. You guys just weren't fully compatible."

"Yes we were, and it _was_ my fault!" Blossom insisted. Brick could hear the tears in her voice. "You don't know him like I do! Dexter isn't like other boys, and I wanted…" She sniffled. "I just wanted him to _want_ me. We only kissed a few times and it wasn't… What happened with Brick felt completely different!"

"Like how?" Robin and Buttercup chorused.

Silence for a moment. "There was… a flutter."

"A flutter?" Robin echoed. "Like butterflies?" Blossom must have nodded. "I get it. Brick's, like, unfairly attractive for being so cold. I think any girl'd get butterflies from kissing him." Buttercup scoffed. "And any guy'd be lucky to have you as their girlfriend, Blossom! Dexter is… well, he's ace. That's just how he's wired, y'know? It's no one's fault he didn't wanna touch your boobies."

"Hey, don't make me picture that."

"Sorry, Butters. But seriously, Blossom… you should put yourself out there again. You're smart and pretty and you deserve a nice guy who appreciates everything you have to offer. Brains, boobies, _and_ booty!"

"You'd make a great cheerleader," Buttercup commented. "I'm gonna get something to eat. We should probably head home after you sober up, Robin. I think Bloss 'n I are about done with this party. No more punch, okay?"

"'Kay!" she agreed, then blew out a long breath. Deeming it a good time to announce himself, Brick rose up above the railing.

"I couldn't help but overhear you're ready to go home. Do you want me to fly you?"

Blossom shook her head, keeping it lowered. "Robin drove. Princess might have her car towed or something if we leave it here."

He wouldn't put it past the petty brat. "If I can find Butch I'll have him drive you. He knows how."

Robin smiled. "Thanks for the offer, but I'll be good in a bit. You're a nice guy, y'know." Once she was gone Blossom mustered the courage to meet his eyes.

"Why did you pick me?" she demanded. "You could have kissed anyone, so why me?"

"It was either you or Buttercup," Brick replied.

"Then why didn't you kiss _her?!_ "

"I figured she wouldn't be very receptive to it since she'd just shaved her head. I didn't want to piss her off even more."

Blossom's gaze fell to the floor. "That makes sense…"

It did, didn't it? Brick had long ago grown accustomed to bending the truth to cover his own ass. The trick to lying was to have faith in one's words, and he said everything with unwavering conviction. He gave Blossom a logical excuse for kissing her. Now he just had to convince himself he'd done it for the same reason.

* * *

Bubbles danced the majority of the night away. She took breaks to drink water and eat candy, but aside from her brief stint outside she stayed in the ballroom. It had wonderful acoustics and there were plenty of people to get lost among, concealing Boomer from view most of the time. She was glad to see him spinning tunes again because he seemed to enjoy it, but she had also been looking forward to dancing with him since she missed the opportunity at Homecoming. The playlist this time was comprised of deeper, darker electronic tracks typically lacking vocals, and there were some seriously hair-raising bass drops. Moody and haunting, just like Halloween should be.

Around one in the morning the music wound down until fading away altogether, but everyone whistled and cheered instead of complaining. "Hope you had a great night, Townsville High. I'm your resident DJ Boomerang and I'll see you guys back in the halls!" Oh, his voice was hoarse. Bubbles wondered if he'd drank or eaten anything all night. She went against the crowd as it filed out, nearly stumbling into the tables upon extricating herself. "B-Bubbles?" the boy stammered, wide-eyed. "Is that you?"

She quickly composed herself. "Of course, silly! You haven't recognized me this whole time?"

He continually glimpsed the rainbow-tressed girl from the corner of his eye, always looking up too late. She kept vanishing as suddenly as she appeared just like a real unicorn. "You look, umm…" Boomer blushed. "You're really pretty in that costume."

"Thanks! I like yours, too!" Compliments exchanged, they stood quietly for a moment. "So I guess the party's over, huh? Do you, like, need help with your stuff?"

Boomer examined his setup. Only the folding tables belonged to Princess, the rest he'd borrowed from Mandark. "Yeah, but you can't fly right now, right? 'Cause of the antidote?"

Bubbles made a face of consideration and lifted off the ground a ways, surprising them both. "I musta sweated it out, heh. That happens sometimes. Don't tell Princess, okay?"

Boomer mimed zipping his lips before beginning the arduous task of gathering cables and cords. After draping them on Bubbles it became a precarious game to arrange the speakers in such a way that they wouldn't fall during the flight. Lastly the mixing board and laptop were tucked under their arms. Bubbles dutifully tailed Boomer across Townsville's skyline to a neighborhood she recognized. He flew to a window of a certain home, tapped on it with his foot, and Mandark opened it to let them in. "Just put everything there," he motioned, then scrutinized the girl. "Do I know you?"

"Maybe? I used to play around here with Dee Dee Jones and Mimi Taylor." She studied him in turn. "You're that other DJ guy, right? Darkboy?"

"Astronomonov, Mandark."

"Oh. _Ooh_ , I get it!" The pun clicked and Bubbles erupted into a giggling fit, Mandark quirking an amused eyebrow while Boomer finished stacking the speakers.

"Thanks for letting me borrow everything. I really need my own setup," he remarked.

"Thanks for not dropping anything." Mandark glanced between them. "Nice costumes. Happy Halloween."

They took that as their cue to leave, flying back toward the metro. Bubbles sighed happily at the feeling of wind in her hair. It was something she didn't experience very often because of Princess and it left her almost euphoric, her eyes watering as she flew faster. "Something wrong?" Boomer asked.

"Nope! In fact, everything's perfect!" She grinned at him over her shoulder. "Wanna get food?"

He was legitimately starving. "Sure, but what's open this late?"

"Follow me!" He didn't understand why she was so giddy but her mood was infectious, and they engaged in a little race despite Boomer not knowing where the finish line was. Bubbles zipped down into the parking lot of a burger joint that smelled divine and strode through the doors like a girl on a mission. "We come here all the time, my sisters and our friends," she explained. "It's super cheap and they have vegetarian options."

"You're vegetarian? But Buttercup told me you make really good steak, and chicken kebabs, and pork tenderloin." The two of them always defaulted to talking about food when their Algebra II class dragged on.

"I still cook meat, I just don't eat it," Bubbles provided. "I tried going vegan but it was too hard giving up dairy." The cashier leaned against the counter awaiting their order. "Get whatever you want, I'm buying!" The whole menu appealed to him right now. Boomer opted for a triple-decker burger with extra bacon, cheesy fries, and a large soda. Bubbles got a black bean burger, cheese sticks, and a strawberry milkshake. "Mmm, it's so bad for me but I totally don't caaare," she sang. "Mimi says if I wanna be a prima ballerina someday I have to eat super healthy, but I think she's just jealous of my awesome metabolism." Bubbles nodded matter-of-factly while Boomer smiled around his straw.

"Is that what you wanna be, a famous ballerina?"

"Maybe." She shrugged. "I have options, y'know? Art, singing, dancing, that's what I like most. But I also thought it'd be fun to be a veterinarian."

"Because you love animals…" Boomer recalled her staunchly protecting a dog during one of their childhood battles. And thinking about that, the fact that Mojo Jojo created him and his brothers to destroy the Powerpuff Girls, suddenly made his food taste off. "Bubbles, I'm sorry." She tilted her head at his serious declaration. "I'm sorry we tried killing you when we were younger."

"It's okay, Boomer," she said kindly. "You didn't know any better, you were just kids under Mojo's influence. What matters is that you changed– you grew up and decided to live on your own terms. Other people can tell us how to use our powers and how to live, but it's our choice alone." He did not feel worthy of the smile she graced him with. "I like who you became."

"Why?" he wondered.

Bubbles blushed, giggled, and focused on her tray. "You're nice, funny, and creative! There's not that many guys into art, y'know? They all wanna be athletes and scientists." He went "huh" and resumed eating. "And I think it's really cool how you know a lot about history and culture and stuff. It must've been so fun living in all those places." She might not consider it cool if she knew what he'd been doing in each locale. Bubbles swirled a cheese stick in a marinara cup for ten whole seconds. "Um, there's actually something I wanna ask you…"

Boomer audibly swallowed. "Okay?"

"I was wondering if you could take some pictures for me as part of my final art project."

"What kinds of pictures?"

"I need headshots of certain students… oh, that sounds creepy, doesn't it? But I don't wanna tell you and ruin the surprise!" She pursed her lips. "Let's just say I can't draw everyone from memory."

He mulled it over. "I can do that for you."

"Thank you! I'll let you know who I need references of on Monday." Bubbles unexpectedly gasped and slapped the tabletop. "You never showed me your scrapbooks!"

"I totally forgot about those." Boomer gave her puppy eyes. "Forgive me?" Of course she did. "You could just, like, come over sometime to check them out."

"Oh, great idea! Where you guys even live?" He texted her the address and her smile diminished slightly, but Boomer didn't notice since he had a ton of notifications to clear. It concerned Bubbles to learn they were staying in a suite in Evergreen Tower, which was owned by the Morbucks. How could the Ruffs afford such a place?

They finished eating and parted ways. Bubbles flew through one of her bedroom windows and landed as daintily as possible, but Buttercup still heard her and appeared at the threshold. "Dude, where've you been? It's two in the morning. Blossom was freaking out when we couldn't find you after everyone left."

"I helped Boomer return all the DJ stuff he borrowed from Mandark." Bubbles ignored her sister's irritated expression as she began her nightly cleansing ritual. "Then we went to Grillmore 'cause we were hungry."

"So you were hanging out with Boomer for an _hour_ after the party ended?"

"Uh huh."

Buttercup sighed. "Bubbles, you can't do that."

"Do what, be friends with someone?"

"No, you have to stop _flirting_ with a Rowdyruff." The sisters frowned at one another. "I know you've had a thing for Boomer since you saw him at orientation."

Her 'thing' began the moment he walked into the boutique. Bubbles didn't say anything for a while, teeth clenched and eyes hard as she continued cleaning her face. "So I'm not allowed to hang out with Boomer but it's okay for Blossom to makeout with Brick?" Buttercup looked surprised. "I heard they kissed. Mimi told Dee Dee and Dee Dee told me."

"It was a dare, Bubbles. They weren't making out." She rubbed her temple. "That's not the point, okay? Blossom doesn't have feelings for Brick. She isn't attracted to him and she doesn't want to be his girlfriend."

Bubbles almost snorted. "Making a lot of assumptions there, Buttercup. I'm not trying to date Boomer, I'm just being nice. He doesn't have many friends, okay?"

"Has it occurred to you there's a reason for that? You're always trying to see the good in people but not everyone has good in them! Do you have any idea what those boys have been doing for the last ten years?"

"Do _you?_ " Bubbles retorted. "You hate them just because they're the Rowdyruffs! You won't even give them a chance to show how they've changed!"

"They _haven't_ changed and I can prove it." Buttercup disappeared for a moment, returning with a hard drive she thrust into her sister's hands. "That's all the data Blossom managed to find on them. We weren't gonna show you 'cause you're so sensitive, but you need to know. Just give it back to her when you're done." She left again and Bubbles closed her bedroom door rather forcefully, regretting it since Blossom and the Professor were asleep. She tossed the drive onto her bed before changing into PJs, then she sat and stared at the little box.

That thing about Pandora came to mind.


	6. I Can be Your Everything

**Chapter Six: I can be your everything**

By Monday, people were still talking about Princess' Halloween party even though Brick deemed it mediocre at best. He would've done things differently such as not invite every upperclassman to his house and agree to play Truth or Dare and end up kissing Blossom. That was all he'd been able to think about over the weekend, that damn dare Susie gave him. He tried to be productive but his mind kept wandering back to that night, that room, that circle of people watching him expectantly. He replayed moving over to her, her smooth cheek against his palm, a hint of floral perfume. "Morning," Brick greeted when Blossom walked into Physics.

"…Good morning," she tentatively replied, like they'd never spoken before. The teacher launched into a lecture lasting the whole period but Brick hardly heard a word. Blossom had a habit of tapping her pencil against her lips while she scrutinized the whiteboard, the rest of the world inconsequential as he focused on that little action. He knew exactly how those lips felt against his, their warmth and softness, sweeter than candy…

"That's all for today," the teacher suddenly said. Brick realized the bell had rung and everyone was leaving. "The test will include some of the material we just went over so I hope you took good notes!" Fuck, he only wrote two sentences.

Since they both had literature next he easily caught up to Blossom. Once again she faced him as if they hadn't interacted until now. "I need to borrow the notes you just took," Brick said.

She quirked a brow. "Why weren't you listening? That was a pretty important lecture."

"I… had other things on my mind."

"I see. I'll give them to you in Spanish." Blossom turned away but Brick reached for her arm, earning a slight scowl at his hand.

"Just give them to me now since we're here."

"I need the notebook for this class. It has the rough draft of my essay."

"Who uses the same notebook for two classes?" he asked, dubious.

"Lots of people!" Blossom claimed. "You'll have to wait until Spanish to copy the lecture notes. I'd give them to you during lunch if we had the same one but we don't. Sorry."

Brick glanced at his watch. "Let me see them right now since we still have a few minutes."

"What good will that do?"

"I have a photographic memory," he explained, "I just need a glance and I can write my own."

"Did you miss the part where I said I have an assignment?"

He erupted. "For fuck's sake, Blossom, give me your notes! Why are you making this into such a hassle?!"

"Me? _You're_ the one who's too impatient to wait until fifth period!"

"Because I don't need to wait!"

She tightly crossed her arms. "So now you think you're entitled to _my_ stuff. If that's the case then I won't help you. You should have taken your own notes instead of zoning out."

"Fine, who needs you?" Brick whirled around and stalked into Lit-Comp, a few students giving him a wide berth.

Blossom huffily entered her own classroom. What in the world was his problem today? It was his own fault for not paying attention, as if his lax concentration could be blamed on anyone else. Just when she thought they had established a sort of amiable rapport Brick had to rear his arrogant head and make demands like she was some peasant in service of his lordship. "Your brother is insufferable," she complained to Boomer at the beginning of fourth period.

"Yeah, Brick can be a real asshole sometimes, but it's not his fault." Blossom was skeptical. "There weren't other kids where we lived and adults always talked down to us. He became that way so they'd take us seriously."

"So he's a stuck-up jerk because he's maladjusted? But you and Butch get along with people just fine."

"We're not the ones in charge of us." Boomer frowned at his wording. "I mean Brick is like you, the leader. He chose where we went, where we stayed, got in contact with people that, uhh, we did odd-jobs for, made sure they didn't jip us…"

Blossom noticed the way he stopped himself from revealing too much. "I'm aware of the jobs you boys did, and I'd definitely call them odd. I did a deep web search and compiled a database of your activities." He gulped and flexed his fingers, wide blue eyes seeking an exit. She felt guilty for triggering his flight instinct and spoke in a soothing tone. "It's okay, Boomer. I'm not going to turn you in or anything. What you three did throughout the last decade wasn't exactly what I'd consider evil."

He couldn't believe the Powerpuffs knew the details of their illicit activities and were willing to give them a free pass. Bubbles was the sweetest one, the most kind-hearted and gentle, and she'd gotten close to him despite the objectively bad things he'd done. Boomer always rationalized the jobs as a means to live comfortably, but the Ruffs really weren't cut out for anything else. They weren't normal people, they had superpowers, and it made sense to make money off them. Brick said that in the very beginning when they were seven year-old kids trying to figure out how to survive in the world.

 _"You wanna eat, don'tcha? You wanna sleep in a bed instead of the streets? Then this is what we gotta do. If you chicken out you don't get a cut of the money."_ Butch and Boomer didn't want to starve or die of exposure, so they stifled their misgivings and agreed to go on their first mission. _"Good. Now do everything I tell you and we'll come outta this just fine."_

They had been "just fine" for the last decade as promised. Working for Mr. Morbucks was no different than the other jobs they'd taken. They snuck around, got into firefights, made shady connections… and they occasionally killed people. Bubbles knew that about Boomer but she still liked the person he had become. Even though he'd done a lot of sketchy stuff she didn't see him as a bad guy, so as thanks for being friends with him it was the very least he could do to get the headshots she requested for her art project.

Unfortunately several people on her list were currently eating lunch while Boomer had Culinary Arts. One of them was Li Leigh, a girl who had been best friends with Dee Dee and Mimi but drifted apart from them as her interest in ballet waned right about the time Bubbles joined the class. The three of them still hung out since they lived in the same neighborhood, but it was hard to hold a long conversation when Leigh was primarily concerned with practicing her violin, earning some of the best grades in school, and boys, although her obsession with the latter had been placated by sleeping with Butch.

Leigh spied him at a table with several other members of the football team. She approached from behind and squeezed his shoulder, the boys quieting as Butch spun around. "Hey, what's up?" he inquired with a grin. In response she kissed him soundly.

Butch sat agape as she pulled away. "I just wanted to say hi, and thanks for Thursday night. You were _amazing_." Leigh smiled, waved her fingers, and headed for the band room.

It took a minute for brains to start functioning again. "Uh, the _fuck_ was that?" Harry demanded. "Since when d'ya know her?"

"Halloween…" Butch answered, distracted by her sashaying form.

"Speaking of that, where'd you go after you gave Buttercup the molly?" Pablo inquired. "You didn't come back and none of us could find you."

Mike rolled his eyes. "You guys are so dense. Obviously he and Leigh hooked up."

"No way!" Harry shouted. "Props, man!" He proffered a fist that Butch hesitated to bump.

Joey gave a small laugh. "Leigh is hella smart and she never dates below her grade, so you're lucky to have tapped that."

Only because he was high on the drug meant for Buttercup and ran into someone who already had a thing for him. Butch also assumed they weren't dating but now he wanted to make certain, flying off to land between Leigh and the music building. "Uh, hey…" he said, mussing his hair. "Should we, like, talk about what happened?"

She tittered. "What's there to say? Weren't we just having fun?"

Was she doing that weird girl thing by pretending everything was fine only to freak out and yell at him later? "You sure?" he pressed. "You don't wanna be my girlfriend or somethin'?"

"I know it was nothing serious, Butch. Don't get me wrong, you're a great guy, but you're busy with football and I have a ton of things to do after school, so if we dated we'd never see each other." Leigh tilted her head when she noticed he looked mildly disappointed. "But if you wanted to maybe meet up from time to time to blow off some steam, I could make that work."

"Yeah? You're okay with that?" He'd never met a girl with such a casual attitude toward sex. They always wanted more from him but the Rowdyruffs rarely stayed in one place long enough for deeper relationships to flourish.

Leigh nodded. "Whenever one of us needs a little stress relief we can just meet somewhere."

Sign him the fuck up. "How 'bout my place tonight?"

"I can't, I have a violin lesson. Actually I'm busy all week." She slid her slender fingers behind his neck to bring him in for a kiss. "Can you wait until Saturday? I'll make it worth your while."

"Mmm… okay." Butch wasn't sure if he _could_ wait that long when merely feeling her tongue graze his lips got him going. He returned to the cafeteria with a smug expression on his face.

"What happened?" Harry asked. "You find Leigh? You gonna see her again?"

"She's comin' over this weekend," he answered.

"Nice!" Joey cheered. "My man's got game on and off the field!" Other guys congratulated Butch for getting laid but Mike only scoffed quietly.

"Maybe that could be you and Buttercup if you weren't such a dick to her."

The table abruptly fell silent, and Joey gave him a hard look. "What was that?"

"Nothing." He stowed his phone and stood to leave. "Catch you guys later."

Butch recognized the tension Mike left in his wake as that of the dissenting variety, which he himself had directed at Brick on more than one occasion. He didn't always enjoy his brother's commands but he obeyed because Brick made decisions that benefited people other than himself. Joey was not that kind of leader. He gave orders to both harass and ostracize Buttercup, to spread rumors about her while telling his friends to pretend she didn't exist because only he was allowed to covet her. He tried his damnedest to hurt her but the Powerpuff refused to play his petty games. She was better than that.

Butch saw her ignoring two sophomore boys when he walked into the gym after changing for P.E. "Holy shit," he gawked, "what happened to your hair?"

"Right?" one guy snickered. "She looks more like a dude than most dudes!" Buttercup continued examining her emerald green nails.

Butch snorted. "Yeah right. There's no mistaking her for a guy with tits that nice." She scoffed and turned her back on them. "And this _ass_. I guess from a distance she kinda looks like a dude, but one glance at that booty tells you Buttercup is definitely a chick."

The sophomores now eyed her with interest. "I guess you're right. She's still hot even with that ugly haircut."

Buttercup sighed. "And on that note it's time for you to fuck off before I suplex you." Butch stayed put. "That means you too, fuckboy."

"I don't get a thank-you?" he pouted.

"For what, presenting me like a cut of beef? Of course not."

"But they stopped botherin' you… And why'd you buzz your hair? It was so cool before."

"Mitch dared me to shave it off at the party," she explained.

"That asshole!"

Buttercup was amused by how indignant he sounded on her behalf. "It'll grow back soon enough and I'll have Bubbles give me a new undercut."

"Do you still get modeling gigs when it's that short?" Butch wondered.

"Hell yeah." She planted a hand on her hip. "It's this body clients want."

He laughed and then bit his lip, giving her a once-over before class began. Buttercup was such a badass, always collected and confident. Her sense of self-worth didn't depend on the opinions of others and Butch admired that since he was the opposite, thriving on attention and praise. He loved being popular and having lots of friends, none of which he would've met if not for Joey. He was outgoing, charismatic, and recognized Butch's potential right away, giving him a chance to be in the spotlight. For those reasons he owed Joey his loyalty, sticking by his side though the ongoing drama.

Their P.E. teacher announced a dodgeball game, designating Butch a captain. He picked Buttercup first. "Got a strategy in mind?" she questioned.

"Uhh… don't get hit?"

"Wow. Hey everyone, half of us should hang back during the rush. Less of us will get struck out that way."

Butch gave her a sideways glance. "Since when do _you_ take charge?"

"Since Blossom decided she'd rather sit on her butt at a computer desk than fight crime in the streets with me and Bubbles." Butch was stunned to hear such a thing and missed the starting whistle. He would've gotten hit right away if Buttercup hadn't shoved him. "Pay attention, dumbass!"

That was easier said than done when he was distracted by her awesome moves. Buttercup nimbly navigated the court, ducking and weaving while rolling dead balls toward her teammates. Butch tried participating, he really did, but her agility captivated him. When it came down to two versus two she assumed a power stance while determining which opponent to pick off first, making them sweat, then she bolted for the center line. The guy on the left hurled a ball at her but she dropped to her knees and slid beneath it, returning fire at his chest. His buddy took advantage of the moment to bean Butch's cheek. "Great job just standing there," Buttercup chided. "Help me get this last guy."

He blinked. "Huh? Aren't I out?"

"Only if you get hit below your chin. Weren't you listening to the rules?" She rolled her eyes. "Just throw toward his legs." Butch did as instructed. Buttercup anticipated he'd jump over the ball, aiming for his shoulder which she struck with unfailing accuracy. That was game.

"Nice job, everyone!" the teacher called. "Are you okay, Lucian? I saw you take a hit to the face."

"I'm good…" Yet again his focus was on a girl strutting away from him. "Yeah, I'm totally fine."

* * *

During the second week of November the junior council finally announced the field trip they'd been planning: their entire grade was going to a ski resort next month. To alleviate some of the cost the council was also hosting a public bake sale that weekend. Bubbles and Blossom eagerly went to the library to sign up with Buttercup on their heels, but they stopped her before she could write her name. "Hey, what's the deal? I'm trying to contribute!"

Blossom cringed. "I know you want to, but the thing is… we can't have you in the kitchen."

"Why not?"

Bubbles waved flippantly. "There've been… incidents."

"Like what?"

Her sisters shared a look. "There was that time you caught a potholder on fire while making spaghetti."

"And that other time you broke the microwave by forgetting to unwrap Pop Tarts."

"You somehow managed to burn ramen."

"And you ruined the stovetop when that milk boiled over."

Buttercup was almost indignant. "So you're saying I suck at cooking?" They nodded and she sighed in resignation. Better not to participate than hinder them.

Since the bake sale was on Saturday they had the whole week to prepare, and Bubbles certainly needed all the time she could get plus more if it were possible. She had cheerleading practice every day in addition to a couple football games away, she had more shifts at Heavenly Body since the holiday shopping season had already begun in Townsville, and her ballet lessons had become more frequent. She also stayed up until at least midnight doing homework, practicing her songs for the choir concert, and working on her super-secret art project.

After four hours of sleep Bubbles had to drag herself out of bed Friday morning. She managed to hide the bags under her eyes but couldn't prevent herself from blinking incessantly beneath bright classroom lights. Thankfully the days had gotten shorter and darker, lending her some relief as Choir let out. "I'll come find you when I'm done with the portraits," Boomer said, receiving a weak wave in return. He frowned at her lack of typical enthusiasm. Bubbles kept asserting that everything was perfectly fine and she could handle it, but she clearly needed rest.

In the Photography classroom Boomer uploaded sixteen headshots to a computer, cropped and edited them a bit, and printed them on glossy photo paper. The process took about forty minutes but that was enough time for Bubbles to run out of steam entirely. On his way to the auxiliary gym he saw Dee Dee and another cheerleader carrying her unconscious form into the athletic medicine office. Boomer never flew anywhere so quickly in his life. "What happened?!" he cried.

Dee Dee tried to smile reassuringly. "Nothing terrible, Bubbles just fainted a little."

"She passed out during practice?" He watched the nurse handle her. Bubbles was limp as a rag doll, dead to the world. "She should've gone home to relax."

"That's what I said, but she's our best flyer and we've almost perfected the new routine." Dee Dee hung her head. "It's my fault. I pushed her too hard."

"Poor Bubbles…" the other girl sighed. "It really is tough being popular, huh? We should call Professor Utonium to come pick her up."

"I can fly her home, it's faster," Boomer offered.

"You'd better get her there safely or there'll be consequences." Dee Dee grinned. "Kidding! I know you won't let anything bad happen to our dear, sweet Bubbles." First Boomer had to negotiate with the nurse to let him take her, then he had to gather their combined belongings. Dee Dee followed him outside, watching him lift off with Bubbles securely in his arms. "Hey you!" she shouted, and he halted. "Ask her out when she's better. You guys've been flirting for three months now!"

He blushed. "Wh-what? No we haven't! We're just friends!"

"No, you like her, and Bubbles likes you. She talks about you all the time, and we approve of you." "We" being the cheer team, he deduced. "She'd be really happy, so just go for it!" Boomer left then, trying not to let nerves make his hands sweaty at the risk of losing his grip. Bubbles liked him? Like, she had a _crush_ on him? And her friends liked him, too? He was more concerned about her sisters, holding his breath as he landed on the doorstep and elbowed the bell. Thankfully Blossom and not Buttercup answered, her pink eyes going wide.

"Oh no, did Bubbles overexert herself? I thought this might happen since she's been dealing with so much lately." She stepped aside to let him in. "Come on, let's get her upstairs."

Boomer was honestly surprised by the sheer amount of _stuff_ in Bubbles' bedroom. Her open closet was packed with clothes and there were even more strewn across the carpet and furniture, plus tons of accessories dangling off decorative hooks. She had shelves of stuffed animals, shadow boxes full of miniatures, and air plants hanging from the ceiling among lanterns and string lights. There was a desk covered in art supplies and a vanity overflowing with cosmetics, grooming implements, and a growing perfume collection. The walls were painted a moonlight blue color. Blossom cleared off the frilly canopy bed so Boomer could lay Bubbles down. She then took her sister's school bags and tried finding a suitable spot for them, but there was too much clutter. She pursed her lips at the mess. "Thanks for bringing her home."

"No problem," he shrugged. They returned downstairs where Blossom stopped him as he reached for the door handle.

"Since I'm working on food for the bake sale tomorrow is there anything I could make especially for you? Do you have a favorite dessert? I think it's what Bubbles would do, bake you something special."

Boomer thought for a moment. "I like tiramisu."

"Oh, really? But that's easy."

"Some of the best things in life are simple." He grinned and left. Blossom smiled, too.

With Bubbles out of commission she now had twice as many treats to whip up. She thought about asking Buttercup for help but the disaster that would surely ensue wasn't worth it. In any event she'd gone to a meeting for a potential modeling job so it was just Blossom and the Professor, who remained in his lab as usual. After the first few hours she fell into an almost cathartic state while working her way through their recipe stash. Cookies, scones, fudge, bark, bars, brownies, cakes, pies… She ran out of containers to store everything in and had to improvise with serveware, and when there was no more of that she plastic-wrapped the dinner plates. She iced one last cake and checked the time, gasping.

It was three in the morning. She'd been baking for almost twelve hours straight but she couldn't go to bed without cleaning up and leaving instructions for the Professor and Buttercup.

When the two of them awoke later that morning they were astounded to see Blossom's handiwork occupying every available inch of flat space in the kitchen. She had also left it spotless, and there was a note on the counter. _"Please take everything I marked with pink to the bake sale at school by 11:00. There's more in the fridge and freezer. P.S: the blue one is for Boomer."_ Getting everything into the station wagon was a workout for both of her family members, but they had help unloading it from Brick, Wes, Susie, Boomer, and Robin.

"Wow, talk about doing the most," Wes remarked. "I think you made more than the rest of us combined!"

"This is what happens when you leave Blossom alone in the kitchen all day," Buttercup said. "She was at it till midnight at least."

"Blossom made _all_ of this by herself?" Brick managed not to appear as impressed as he sounded, placing her desserts at the front of each table.

"Yep. Bubbles is resting and apparently I'm banned from cooking, so it was just her." Buttercup handed the blue container to Boomer. "This is yours."

"Mmm, tiramisu. Tell Blossom I said thanks." Brick scowled at it. Why did his brother get special treats?

"You can thank her yourself, she'll be here when she wakes up. I'd stick around to help you guys but I have a photoshoot at noon."

"Ooh, for what?" Susie asked.

Buttercup preened. "You'll find out. They're an indie company opening a store in our mall later this month. See ya."

Sales were slow the first hour, then a sizeable crowd arrived during lunch. Most of the customers were parents of Townsville High students who wanted to support the junior ski trip. They also had a steady stream of employees from nearby businesses. A bakery owner sampled one of everything, making critical comments that quickly got under Brick's skin. Freaking _teenagers_ made this stuff, not professionals. Then the man took a bite of something and became humble. "What exactly is this?" he queried.

"I think it's a vegan dragon fruit cheesecake," Robin answered.

"Which one of you made it?"

"Blossom did, but she's not here right now."

"Blossom Utonium, the Powerpuff Girl?" The five students nodded and he removed a pen from his pocket, scribbling on the back of a price placard. "My friend owns the vegan restaurant downtown and this is exactly the kind of recipe he needs on the menu. Have Blossom give me a call when she gets here, will you?"

Once he was gone Robin placed the placard back on its cookie tray, thinking aloud. "I'm pretty sure that's actually Bubbles' recipe from her vegan phase."

Business returned to normal and Blossom finally arrived at two o'clock, apologizing for being late. It wasn't like her friends could be mad at her for staying awake until three a.m. "How much have we made?" Boomer inquired. She quickly counted everything in the cash box; they had not yet reached their goal of $1000. "I might know some people who can help." He shot a quick text.

Fifteen minutes later a large group of students from Pacific Science Academy showed up. "Hey," Mandark greeted in his usual monotone. "This is the spread you promised, hm? Looks pretty good." His friends were already doling out cash to get their sugar fix. "And you said _Blossom_ made most of it?"

"She did," Boomer confirmed, slinging an arm around her shoulders. "She's super awesome at baking."

"I'll say," another guy agreed. "These chocolate chip cookies are better than my mom's."

"This almond bark is _divine_ ," a girl gushed.

"Can I get the recipe for these lemon bars?"

"Will you marry me, Blossom?"

Those words filled Brick with instantaneous rage. He crushed the pfeffernüsse he'd been about to hand off into powder and gave the boy who spoke a look that could have turned him into a charred human doughnut. Everyone laughed like it was a good-natured joke but Blossom's cheeks flushed scarlet and she stood with her pretty lips parted in disbelief. Her wannabe suitor wore a smirk. He was tall, well-built, and conventionally attractive, but Blossom was still lightyears beyond his league.

"My family is loaded," he went on, "you could go to any university you want when we graduate. You still help with the Aegis Project, don't you? How do MIT, Caltech, or Carnegie Mellon sound?" The others quieted as Blossom's jaw dropped a little more. "I could give you everything you want in life– wealth, status, recognition… What do you say?"

Absolute silence for a full minute.

"You need to leave." The voice was masculine, quiet yet firm. "Thanks for coming to support us, but you should go now." It was Boomer who spoke.

Susie piped up next. "Yeah, that's super inappropriate. Who do you think you are?"

"Blossom's only seventeen, dude," Wes added. Robin hugged her friend and Brick didn't dare move a single muscle. First a condescending adult and now this smug bastard? It was like the world wanted him to lose his temper today.

The guy shrugged. "Fine, we're going. Think about it, Blossom." He sauntered toward the cars they'd arrived in, brownie in hand. Mandark mumbled an apology. He'd honestly wanted to be a good friend to Boomer, not make things awkward.

"Oh my _god_ ," Susie exclaimed once they left, "can you believe that douchebag? Does he really think he can buy your love, Blossom? I'm _so_ sorry you had to deal with that." She shot Boomer a hard look. "Why did you invite them here?"

"We needed money and those academy kids have it, so I thought…"

Wes came to his defense. "If you got connections like that you use 'em. You didn't know that guy would be with them."

Robin sighed. "Do we have a thousand bucks yet?" Susie counted it this time and nodded. "Well, that's good. Anything else we make pads the budget for… hey!" Blossom left without warning, a pink streak arcing toward the coast. "One of you go get her!" she shouted at the Boys.

Brick reacted first. Blossom flew faster than he anticipated, her energy trail already fading from view, but then he spotted her on the beach and landed nearby. He didn't see or smell any tears so that was good; he wasn't skilled at dealing with emotional turmoil. "Hey, what's the Aegis Project?"

She gave a dry laugh. "I knew you would ask. Aegis is Townsville's private quantum network. It's still being developed but the main goal is to protect locally-stored server data from digital thieves. Of course, it goes hand-in-hand with quantum computing, fiber optics, and laser technology. It will herald the era of quantum internet."

That subject was way beyond Brick's area of expertise. "How do you contribute?"

"I'm a white hat hacker. I try subverting the rudimentary network's encryption protocols. It's a great opportunity to enhance my skills and help the engineers improve security features."

Opportunity… Boomer must have used meeting Blossom as a selling point when he asked Mandark to bring his friends to the bake sale. She was a local celebrity, after all. "Who was that guy who propositioned you? He acted like he knew you."

"I've met him a few times at galas and tech expos. River Waters," Blossom answered. "His parents are the Morbucks' lawyers."

So the boy was the very embodiment of spoiled rich, thinking it perfectly acceptable to buy her love like Susie said and turn her into some kind of trophy wife. "You deserve much better than him," Brick declared before he could stop himself. "You should've laughed in his face. The idea that a guy like him could _ever_ be worthy of you—"

"Is ridiculous," Blossom finished. She turned toward him as an ocean breeze blew strands of long hair across her visage. "I know you think I'm better than everyone by virtue of being a Powerpuff Girl, but I'm not. I'm just a normal girl."

"Normal people don't get accepted to those schools," Brick retorted. "Average people don't set their sights that high. Everything you do, you do better than them. It's what you were made for, to be faster, stronger, smarter, _better_. You and I, your sisters and my brothers, we're superior to regular humans in every conceivable way. We're basically gods."

"Oh, okay…" she muttered, "that explains where your attitude comes from."

He raised an eyebrow. "What attitude?"

"The one that makes you feel entitled to whatever you want whenever you want it." Blossom lifted her chin, staring him down. "You know something, Brick? You're no different than River."

That was literally the most offensive thing anyone had ever said to him. "What… I… you…" He couldn't even form a sentence. A second passed and then his face was directly in front of hers, noses touching. "How _dare_ you compare me to him. I was never handed anything in life, I earned it. I _bled_ for it. I had to work and fight for it all after _you_ ran us out of Townsville!"

Blossom mirrored his heated expression. "You _chose_ to leave. We didn't run you out of anywhere, we were just protecting the city from three little hellions!"

"Excuse me for being a stupid kid once upon a time. Do you have any idea how much we suff—" Brick clamped his mouth shut, folded his arms, and looked away. He shouldn't have let so much slip. Blossom had everything he wanted in life and she took it for granted. They were both the products of genetic engineering in Townsville who had risen above the reasons for their creation. Didn't the Rowdyruffs deserve a stable home and people who cared about them? Didn't they deserve a peaceful life like the one the Powerpuffs had?

Much to his surprise Blossom embraced him tightly. She may as well have used her ice breath on him because he became a frozen statue. "I know you struggled out there. You were children doing things children should never have to do to survive. It's… sad." She withdrew to search his features. "But you left on your own. No one else made that decision for you."

Running away from Mojo Jojo, Him, and the Powerpuff Girls had been the best option for the Ruffs back then, and as the leader it was Brick's call to leave Townsville after they finished the job for Max. The feeling of finally belonging somewhere was only temporary. His real life was waiting out in the world beyond the city limits, the only place he knew how to live. "I didn't say I made the wrong choice," Brick stated. He never regretted his actions. His brow furrowed at the way Blossom eyed him, judging his character.

"Maybe you did. If you stayed we might have become friends. You could have helped us stop bank robbers and jewelry thieves instead of getting shot at."

"How do you know I've been shot at?" he queried.

"Know thy enemy," Blossom said. "You used to be my number one."


	7. While We Our Vigil Keep

**Chapter Seven: While we our vigil keep**

 _Hey there. Want to go shopping with me?_

Butch wielded his controller in one hand and texted Leigh back with the other. _For what?_

 _I need some winter clothes and you have that ski trip next week, right?_

Oh yeah, that thing he was really looking forward to. His snowboard had been leaning against the door of his closet since Brick told him about it last month. It was ready to go but he'd outgrown most of his gear. He set his controller aside to type properly. _Sounds good. Where you at?_

 _Pulling into your parking lot._

Thanks for the warning. He hurriedly threw on some clothes since he'd been gaming in his underwear, perfectly content to stay that way all day. Between football games, practices, and Leigh he didn't get many opportunities to relax. "Goin' to the mall, see you guys later!" he relayed to his brothers on his way out, receiving matching grunts of acknowledgement. He opted to ride the elevator down instead of taking the roof exit since the outside temperature had drastically lowered. "Sup," Butch greeted while claiming the passenger seat of Leigh's periwinkle coupe. He was almost too large for it.

"Hey," she replied just as casually. "I got this flier for a shop that just opened. They should have sports gear for you and casual wear for me." He found that agreeable. The mall parking lot was totally packed, forcing them to head to a garage a few blocks north. Leigh shivered when they got out of the car. "This sucks! We're so far away and it's freezing!" Butch simply picked her up and took to the air, landing on the food court balcony. "Well that was easy," she laughed. "Thanks."

"No problem, babe," he returned.

Leigh looked thoughtful. "I can see how the flying thing would take a lot of inconveniences out of actual dating. You could see each other whenever you want, go wherever you want to go."

"Guess it's a good thing we're not dating 'cause someone won't _let me_ see her whenever I want."

His comment earned a playful nudge. "Excuse me for having a busy life, mister. And don't even try telling me you're thirsty for more."

Butch placed an arm around her shoulders so he could maneuver them both through the crowd of shoppers; being big and buff gave him an advantage in that regard. "Parched, actually. You should come back to my place when we're done here."

She rolled her eyes, smiled, and said, "We'll see." That usually meant yes. "There's the store I think, Vail Side." They stopped to observe the window displays, but while Leigh scoped out the clothes on the mannequins Butch's gaze went straight to the background images. "Hey, is that Buttercup?" she asked. As if the Puff could be mistaken for anyone else. "She must've modeled for this company, how cool!" Buttercup wore a different outfit in each shot, showcasing the many styles and colors to choose from. Butch admired a particular poster in which she stood with one hand on her hip and the other holding a snowboard, wearing black low-rise pants, an unzipped black jacket, and a teal bra with a snowflake in the center. There was a matching beanie on her head and she gave the camera her signature smirk. "Her abs are goals, honestly," Leigh remarked. "How do you even get a body like that?"

"Yours is perfect, babe," Butch said, glancing away. All of a sudden he felt ashamed.

"Hah, thanks. I'm on the 'I never have time to eat' diet. Still…" She gave the mannequin another once-over. "That bra is super cute and I want it. Let's go." Butch bought the gear and accessories he needed and regrouped with Leigh, who had not made it out of the undergarments section after half an hour. "I want _all_ these colors!" she lamented. "Which one should I get?"

"Pink," he suggested.

"But I like green…"

"Then go with that."

"Hmm. What about the teal one?"

Butch shook his head. "I don't like that color."

Leigh side-eyed him while returning the microfleece bra to the rack. "Why, because Buttercup wore it? Don't you have a thing for her?"

"'Course not," he refuted.

"Uh huh. If you think I haven't noticed that giant poster above your bed then you really are a dumb jock." There it was again, guilt gnawing at his insides. "It doesn't bother me since I can't see it when I'm on top. Besides, Buttercup is hot. Everyone knows that."

Yeah, everyone knew that, especially Butch because he got to watch her body move each day in P.E. Even without Chemical X she still ran faster, threw farther, and endured longer than any of their peers, pushing herself to the limit no matter what activity they partook in simply because she could. How did Buttercup get a body like that? Through a combination of selective genetics and rigorous hard work. Leigh would never achieve that physique no matter how hard she trained. But as Butch said, he liked her the way she was.

She came up to his room under the pretense of helping him put away his purchases. As soon as the door closed he got everything but her shirt off and held her against it, slender legs wrapping around his waist. Did Butch have a thing for Buttercup? Absolutely, but Leigh was sexy, smart, and good enough that he could suppress his true feelings, feelings that Brick and Joey said he wasn't allowed to have in the first place. He wasn't _supposed_ to admire and respect Buttercup, and he knew it was wrong to fantasize about her while fucking Leigh. After getting off they savored the afterglow. "I'm ruined for sex forever," she said with a happy sigh. "No one else will be as good as you." Right, their arrangement was only temporary. If they got bored or kept at it until she graduated they'd still end up going different directions in life. It wasn't meant to last.

They made themselves presentable and went downstairs where Butch felt the intensity of Brick's judgmental stare on his bare back. Leigh kissed him at the threshold, bidding him goodbye until next time. Brick waited a beat before laying into him. "Didn't I ask you to keep the noise down when your girlfriend is over? It sounded like you were committing murder up there."

"Just slayin' that pussy, Bro," Butch retorted, "and she's not my girlfriend."

"What else do you call someone you regularly have relations with?"

"A booty call, duh." He thought for a second. "If we really were loud I won't fuck her against the door next time." Brick made an expression of distaste as Boomer snickered quietly. He had elicited more exuberant vocals than Leigh's in the past. "You need to get laid," Butch said before grabbing a soda and returning upstairs.

Brick scoffed. Getting laid wouldn't make his CAD homework any easier. Even if he did decide to lose his virginity to someone while his brothers remained in the vicinity, which was never _ever_ going to happen, he'd still have the decency to be quiet about it.

* * *

Getting the majority of the junior class to the ski resort had gone as smoothly as Brick expected. The teachers chaperoning lauded his efficiency when it came to wrangling a few hundred students. Room assignments, meal plans, and lift access had already been taken care of, so all the adults needed to do was make sure no one wandered off or disrespected the facility. After getting settled Brick claimed a sofa and buried his nose in a book. Butch, Boomer, and Buttercup hit the slopes right away, and Bubbles persuaded Blossom to partake in makeovers. Unfortunately their small group decided the wool rug in front of the fireplace was the best place to do this, disrupting Brick's concentration with their gossip. He grunted in annoyance and threw an arm across his face.

"Want something done, Brick?"

He lifted his limb to find Bubbles smiling at him. "What?"

"Want a manicure, pedicure, or a facial? We have all the tools."

"I'm a guy. I don't do those things."

She waved off his misgivings. "Getting pampered isn't a threat to your masculinity or whatever. C'mon, let me at least clean up your nails. There's nothing worse than shaking hands with a guy with scraggly nails."

Brick examined them; they _were_ a bit uneven. "Fine," he consented, moving from the sofa to the rug. Bubbles sat cross-legged opposite him and rubbed some oil on his cuticles. Her hands were soft so he didn't mind the contact. Nearby, Julie gave Susie a glamorous makeover, Robin painted her own toes, and Wes prepared to braid Blossom's hair. She usually wore it up in a ponytail or messy bun so Brick had never seen it down and loose, but it was almost long enough to cover her entire back. It looked sleek and shiny, not a single strand out of place, and was a few shades lighter than his but darker than Julie's bright orange curls.

As Bubbles worked on his nails the fellow redhead scooted over, scrutinizing his features. "You really have amazing facial structure, Brick," she said. "Don't you think so, Bubbles? Just look at this brow, this jawline, these cheekbones…"

"He does have nice features," she agreed.

"Some highlights and bronzer would make you look so fierce." Julie sighed wistfully. "And these lips, ugh. Wide, full boy lips give me _life_." He had no idea how to respond to that. "You should let me tint them, I have the perfect shade. Pleeease?"

"Just say yes, Brick," Wes spoke over his shoulder. "They're artists and you're the canvas now."

"Exactly. What do you say?" With a groan he permitted the girl to do her thing.

Later that night as students returned from their activities to have dinner, Brick sat at a shadowed table in the far corner where hopefully no one would bother him. He made an exception for Blossom when she set her plate down. "Thanks," she said after a minute.

"For what?" Brick wondered.

"For being a good sport about the makeup. Julie has a huge crush on you."

"So I've heard." His eyes flicked over Blossom. "Your hair looks pretty like that." She smiled and brushed the pale aqua ribbon Wes had woven into her braid. "Whatever happened to that red bow you used to wear?"

She shrugged. "I outgrew it, I guess. And I kept my hair short for a while so I no longer needed it. What happened to your baseball hat?"

"Got too small," he answered simply.

"So you replaced it with trilbies and newsboy caps, hm? It seems like you wear a different one every day." Brick prided the fact that Blossom noticed his outfits. "Are you going skiing or snowboarding tomorrow?" she inquired.

"Neither. I don't do cold."

Blossom regarded him skeptically. "Then why did you come to a ski resort if you're not going to have fun?"

"I don't need to hang out with other people to enjoy myself," Brick replied.

"For someone who prefers solitude you've planned a lot of group activities this year."

"Just upholding my position."

She planted her chin in one hand to study him. "Why did you run for student council president, really?"

"Being in charge of others is something I do well," Brick explained. "I managed my brothers for ten years so I think I'm qualified to make decisions regarding entertainment for our class."

"I see," Blossom said, and really she saw a lot more than he revealed. "Go skating with me, then."

"As in on ice? No thank you."

"Come on, it's not difficult or very chilly." The way she stuck out her lower lip did him in. "Please?"

"Fine…" he agreed, heaving a great sigh. "But if I fall more than five times, I'm done." Blossom smiled broadly, beatifically, sending color to his cheeks. Brick returned to the room he shared with his brothers; Boomer was editing some videos he'd taken while Butch brushed his teeth. "Did you two eat?" he asked, since he hadn't seen them in the restaurant.

"Uh huh. There's a bar 'n grill at the top of the mountain." Butch leaned in close. "Dude, are you wearin' makeup?"

"A little," he admitted.

"Why?"

Brick smirked. "Because I have amazing facial structure and I look fierce."

Butch considered his own appearance in the bathroom mirror. "Do _I_ have amazin' facial structure?"

"Bubbles thinks so," Boomer supplied.

"Awesome. Wanna hit up the terrain park tomorrow?"

"Can't, I'm going skating with her." Brick felt somewhat better upon hearing this. At least he wouldn't be the only one making a fool of himself.

"You suck," Butch said, flopping onto his bed. "How can you choose a girl over your own bro?"

"Easy– she's cute and you're a show-off. And don't even come at me with that crap when you've blown us off for Leigh at least five times already."

Boomer had a point there, but when Butch had to make a decision between lounging around with his siblings or using Leigh to satisfy his increasing need for action, the choice was pretty damn obvious. Thankfully he could spend the whole weekend shredding powder. He didn't dwell on missing out on nookie until he took a lift to the terrain park where he saw Buttercup adjusting her boots. She wore headphones over her beanie, oblivious to the group of guys staring at her with varying emotions. Butch joined them, fascinated by the tight thermal top hugging every line of her sculpted physique. When she stood up to stretch he exuded an appreciative groan.

Joey scowled at him. "What was that about?"

"Uh, nothin'." Butch rubbed the back of his neck. "We gonna get out there or what?"

"Yeah, sure. I just wanted to watch Buttercup fall on her ass first." Only she didn't do that, sliding along a few rails and landing some jumps with ever-present finesse. After a couple hours of dicking around Joey sat in the snow to watch her make another flawless run, performing tricks their friends had spent all morning attempting to master. "She's such an attention whore. I wish she'd just leave already." He faced Butch. "You should do something."

"Like what?"

"Run into her, fuck up her shit. Make it seem like an accident."

Butch frowned. "Why do you wanna mess with her when she's not botherin' anyone?"

"She bothers me, and I want _you_ to mess with her." Joey flashed his charming smile. "Challenge her to a race or something."

Butch waited until Buttercup returned via the rope tow, waving to get her attention. She removed her headphones and quirked an eyebrow. "Hey, your moves're pretty sweet. Can they handle some competition?"

Her eyes shifted between the two boys. "What do you want?" she asked, rightfully suspicious.

"Just to see if you've got more than that. How 'bout I lead and you follow?" Butch suggested.

Buttercup smirked. "Sure. Anything you can do, I can do better." She ignored the derisive snort from Joey and indicated for Butch to go ahead, tailing him down the slope. She mimicked his stances, slides, spins and grabs without fail. After running out of obstacles he came to an abrupt halt instead of angling toward the rope lift. Buttercup plowed into him, sending them both skidding down the hill, and when it finally evened out many feet later Butch found himself sprawled atop her.

He pushed himself up, cringing. "Okay, that was my bad…" He trailed off upon realizing that instead of being angry, Buttercup was laughing. He had never seen or heard her laugh before. She looked genuinely happy, the sound soft and slightly raspy. Her eyes glittered with mirth when they finally opened, giving her the semblance of a mischievous pixie. His heart ker-thumped.

"What'd you do that for, stupid? I was literally right behind you."

"I dunno what I was thinkin'. Sorry."

"It's whatever." Buttercup's smile faded as Butch continued staring at her. She placed her hands on his chest to push him away yet hesitated upon feeling his rapid pulse. It wasn't like he exerted a lot of energy on their little game, right? "You okay?" she asked. He nodded once. "Then get off." Her voice lacked much conviction so she tried again. "Let me up." His shook his head, gazing at her with something akin to reverence or, dare she conceive the word, _affection_. "Dude, come on…"

Butch almost kissed her then. Those three words were like an invitation, her lips a mere three inches away. Her body felt so good beneath his, perfectly fitted like they were made for one another, pieces of a larger puzzle comprised of a plush bed, downy blankets and dim lighting, bare skin and sweat and breathless commands for him to do things that made her shudder and gasp, pull him closer, hold him tighter, moan his name just before she—

"Butch." The firm tone snapped him out of his reverie. Buttercup now glared at him. "Get the fuck off me." He sat back on his knees while she reached forward to unfasten her bindings, then she rose to her feet with her snowboard under one arm. She seemed a bit conflicted but said nothing further as she marched up the hill. A minute later Joey and Lloyd appeared.

"That crash was gnarly. You all right?" the latter inquired.

"Yeah," Butch assured. They hauled him upright where he adjusted his pants. He needed Leigh very badly right now but she'd gone away from Townsville for the weekend. He could text her to find out where, fly to her, but his hand refused to reach for his phone. He didn't want her, he wanted the girl who must no longer despise him if he'd been able to make her laugh like that. He wanted to whisk Buttercup away to his empty room, rip those brand-new clothes right off, and leave her incapable of walking or thinking straight. "Fuck…" he grumbled, stepping off his board before lifting into the air.

"Hey, where're you going?" Joey called.

"To get something. Watch my stuff." Butch shot across the treetops while his friends shared a confused glance.

* * *

Boomer and Brick stood beyond the edge of the skating rink watching their female counterparts make gliding across ice on metal blades seem as easy as walking. Robin was there too, occasionally grabbing onto one of them to spin in a circle. "C'mon, guys!" she beckoned. "Get in here already!" Bubbles came over and held out a hand for Boomer that he shakily accepted. Blossom took a less delicate approach, speeding toward Brick until turning sideways at the last second to spray him with ice. He winced as several shavings landed on his cheek.

"Ready?" she beamed. "We'll start with the basic position. Bent knees, arms out to the sides, tight core. Don't arch your back." Brick strongly disliked feeling as if his feet would slide out from under him at any moment. Thanks to Blossom's teaching methods he didn't fall even once, and soon he could move around without clinging to anything. She let him get the hang of it while practicing her own spins and jumps.

Blossom was like a different person on the ice, totally in her element. Brick had never seen anyone enjoy something as much as she appeared to enjoy figure skating. Although Bubbles moved gracefully and daintily like one would expect of a ballerina, there was an inherent effortlessness to her sister's motions since she never second-guessed herself. Brick and Boomer applauded when she landed a double axel. "That looked great!" Robin praised as she returned from the far end.

Blossom wrinkled her nose. "That wasn't great. I needed more height." Robin and Bubbles each rolled their eyes. "Did you show them how to skate backwards yet?"

"Maybe if someone would stop _falling_ we could work on swizzles and wiggles!" Boomer smiled sheepishly since he tended to take Bubbles down with him more often than not. "New plan, Robin. We'll hold him together."

Blossom watched them go around the oval with a critical eye. Any time Boomer tried shifting his weight he fell, but at least they laughed it off. She waved them back over to a bench. "You keep falling because you don't have proper ankle support. Sit." She swiftly retied his skates.

Bubbles pouted. "That's my fault, I should've noticed. Now let's swizzle!" She helped Boomer along while Blossom tried coaxing Brick into copying the movement, but he refused on the grounds that it looked ridiculous.

"Come on, stop being a butthead." She demonstrated the O-shaped glide while he stood with his arms crossed. "Every beginner learns how to do this."

He raised an eyebrow. "Did you just call me a butthead?"

Blossom lifted her chin. "What are you going to do about it, hm? It's not like you can come get me."

Brick _almost_ rose to the bait. She presented a rather enticing figure in her violet sweater dress and tall knitted socks that left a gap at the top of her thighs, and watching her strong legs carry her across the ice made him ponder things he definitely shouldn't be thinking about. How soft were her thighs? How warm was it between them? What did she look like in those socks and nothing else?

While Blossom taunted Brick into action, Bubbles continued her attempt to mold Boomer into a decent skater. However, after what had to be their twentieth time falling, she determined he just might not be cut out for it. He lay flat on his back in the middle of the rink. "I give up, Bubbles. I can't do this. I suck."

"It's okay, you tried your best," she said kindly, helping him stand. They waved goodbye to Robin and their siblings, returning to the shoe lockers.

"I really wanted it to be something we could do together again…" Boomer sighed. "I suck at every sport, honestly."

"What about video games?" she asked.

"That's not really a sport."

"E-sports are a thing now," Bubbles asserted. "I even went to a few fighting game competitions while I was in Tokyo."

"They have those?"

"Uh huh. They get commentators and TV coverage and everything. Some players are like celebrities."

"Cool." He flexed his fingers. "Y'know, there's an arcade here. Wanna check it out?"

"Sure!" Bubbles looped her arm through his; she started doing that on their way to Choir and he didn't mind it one bit. There was only a handful of kids in the arcade so they basically had the run of the place. "What should we play? What're you _really_ good at?" she questioned. Boomer thought for a moment and decided on air hockey, but first they needed to acquire some tokens. Bubbles tried not to boggle at the fat wad of cash in his wallet but curiosity got the better of her. "Do you always carry around that much money?" And where had it come from?

"Yep. Not like anyone's gonna steal it," he answered with a shrug.

"They could try…"

"And fail." His smile was somewhat crooked. "I mean, what can they do? I'm superhuman."

Bubbles nodded slowly. "Right… but wouldn't all that cash be better in a bank account or something?" Upon receiving her first paycheck from Heavenly Body she opened one at the Professor's behest and put it in savings. Since then she typically blew her money at the mall. "Do you even have a job, Boomer?"

He turned toward her in legitimate confusion. Blossom said she knew exactly what the Ruffs had been up to throughout the last decade. He assumed that if she knew her sisters did too, because why wouldn't they share information? Boomer countered her question with one of his own. "Don't you know what I did while I was gone?"

Bubbles realized the response he expected lay in that hard drive she had refused to look through, intuition telling her it contained plenty of gritty details that would soil the image of her crush. "No, I don't know," she said. "Whatever kind of stuff you were involved in… I'm sure you didn't _want_ to do it, right? You were just going along with your brothers because they're jerks."

Jerks that kept him alive, but yeah; Boomer had the most reservations about mercenary work. It was sort of bewildering that Bubbles had formed an opinion of him based solely on their interactions post-encounter at the boutique four months ago. She was completely ignorant of everything he'd done until then, and he didn't consider that a blessing because when she inevitably found out she probably wouldn't like him any more. But now he couldn't help feeling as if he were lying to her about who he was.

Bubbles tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with a sigh. "Can we just forget I asked that stupid question and play some games?"

It became apparent they shared the same impressive hand-eye coordination as an entire twenty minutes of air hockey went by before either of them scored a goal, so they surrendered the table to some kids who had gathered around. They tried a racing game next which Boomer won, then Bubbles demolished him at a 2D fighter. "How?" he gaped. "How'd you kick my ass that easily? I want a rematch!" After three more consecutive losses he threw in the towel and they got some candy from a claw machine while he mulled over his defeat. "I don't get it. Butch is super great at that game, he even wins online tournaments, but I still beat him sometimes. If I only won against you once that means you could make him cry."

"I'd love to see that," Bubbles grinned. For now she'd settle for impressing Boomer. She cast her gaze around the room and spied some familiar artwork on a cabinet tucked into the corner, gasping as they wandered over. "No way, they have this?! I played this game whenever I wasn't doing karaoke in Akihabara!" She bounced on her toes while inserting a token.

Boomer eyed it with interest. "What is it?"

"It's a rhythm game where you try to hit these keys in time with the notes coming down the screen. You also have to spin this disc and press more buttons on this side, but I'm a lefty so that part's easy. I usually miss a bunch of notes but it's super fun!" Some song that sounded like the musical embodiment of a sugar rush began blaring out of the speakers. Boomer both watched and listened keenly until it ended two minutes later. "Yay, an A!" Bubbles cheered. "Hopefully I can get another one."

"How many songs do you play?" he asked.

"You choose three and if you pass them all with an A or better a challenge song comes up, but they're _sooo_ difficult, like crazy fast. Each song has to have a higher BPM than the last one." And they began at a minimum of 130 so he could see how that would be daunting to players. Even with her superhuman reflexes the fingers on her right hand struggled to keep pace with the cascade of colorful notes, yet they made it easier for him to follow along. "Another A, barely…" Bubbles inhaled deeply to psyche herself up, saving her best track for last. Having an audience didn't bother her; Boomer's intense staring was actually adorable since she'd never seen him look so serious. The tip of her tongue stuck out one side of her mouth as she leaned forward for better concentration, nearly screaming when her score appeared. "An S! Omigosh, I've never gotten that rank before!" She danced in a small circle before the challenge options appeared, her exuberance vanishing. "Oh, darn. I'm terrible at both of these."

Boomer stood right behind her, framing her with his larger arms. "Which one do you know best? I'll handle the melody if you can do the bassline."

She blushed at the proximity of his mouth to her ear. "I think this is cheating."

"Not like anyone's watching us," he refuted, "and you deserve a high score."

Bubbles eyed the two titles. Her selection clocked in at a staggering 300 beats per minute but required less erratic button-mashing. The holds tended to trip up players but Boomer handled them just fine. She grew more and more astounded as their score approached the maximum of 2000 which was only possible without missing a single note. Suddenly it ended, their S rank with 100% accuracy flashing on the screen. It was impossible to play more perfectly than that. "We… we did it…" she breathed in awe. "Oh my god, Boomer. The best anyone's ever done at this song in competition is eighty-nine percent."

He looked from her gobsmacked expression to the number and back again. "Neat."

Bubbles did scream then while throwing her arms around him, hugging him so tightly a vertebrae popped. "It's better than that, it's amazing! You're the most amazingly wonderful boy in the _whole world!_ " Her excitement ebbed long enough for her to add the initials 'BBL' to the high score ranking. "There, now we're immortal."

"Awesome. Let's get food, I'm starving." Boomer's stomach growled to cement that claim. Bubbles gleefully swung their clasped hands as they walked to the restaurant.

* * *

The juniors of Townsville High were heading home Sunday evening, so everyone took full advantage of their time until then to play in the snow… everyone except Brick, that was, since his ice skating excursion had left him with a flushed countenance lasting all night and into the next morning. "Not lookin' so hot there, Bro," Butch commented on his way out of their room. "Want soup or somethin'?"

"Yes," he sniffled.

"Okay. I'll tell Boomer to get it since I got a black diamond to shred."

Brick wasn't going to complain about being waited on and read until a knock came at the door, making him frown since Boomer had a key. After another knock he wrenched it open, irritation giving way to surprise when he saw Blossom instead of his brother. "I heard you weren't feeling well. Boomer didn't want to wait around for your kitchen order so I offered to bring it up to you," she explained.

Brick stepped aside to let her in. He understood that his brothers hadn't seen real snow since Europe, but giving him soup when he felt under the weather was the absolute least they could do. Dicks. He took the tray from her. "Thanks."

Blossom looked guilty. "You said the cold doesn't agree with you. I'm the one who asked you to go skating with me and got you sick."

"I'll be fine, I can't actually get sick," he assured. "My internal temperature is too high for viruses to survive."

"Oh, really? Did the Professor tell you that?"

"A different doctor, when we were kids. I found that out before Butch and Boomer contracted West Nile fever while we were in Nairobi."

Blossom was stricken to hear this. Their enhanced immune systems kept most illness at bay so it must have been a potent, potentially mutated strain. "Kenya was where you rescued those children that had been abducted, right?"

"Mhm," Brick answered around his spoon.

"And then you reclaimed a cargo ship from pirates off the Somali coast later that year." She regarded him curiously. "Are those the kinds of jobs typical mercenaries get hired to do?"

"Not really, but we're not typical people."

That was something Blossom had been unable to puzzle out. She knew the how's of what they'd done but not _why_. To put it bluntly she said, "I don't understand why you chose to do objectively good things when it must pay better to be bad."

Brick only held her focus for a moment, looking at the tray. "You're being subjective, Blossom. You used to be a hero who fought for peace and justice. You only consider our activities 'good' if they align with _your_ morals." He viewed her sidelong. "I chose those missions because I was tired of being called a villain. All the information you have on us was relayed by outsiders but we're the ones who provided it. They heard what we told them and saw what we showed them."

In other words the Ruffs controlled the manner in which people perceived them. Blossom already deduced that Brick tailored every aspect of his existence to present a specific image. Wherever he went he learned to blend in, acting enough like an ordinary person to be accepted but reminding everyone he was anything but. She wondered what aspects of his personality stayed hidden beneath the veneer, if any at all. Maybe he really was arrogant and abrasive to his core. "I'm sorry, I didn't come here to bother you. Your past doings aren't my business." Brick agreed wholeheartedly. The past should stay in the past; no point regretting things they couldn't change. "So if you do run hotter than the average person, doesn't that mean you should be comfortable in lower temperatures?"

He shook his head, draping an arm over the back of the chair. That slouchy posture resembled more of the punk kid she used to know. "In nature, everything is inevitably heading toward a state of thermal equilibrium. My body generates excessive heat so the environment absorbs it faster to make me equal with its ambient temperature."

"How interesting." It really was, but thermodynamics were not her strong suit. Blossom pushed off the wall. "If or when you feel better, consider sledding with some of us. The bunny slope is closed to skiers today."

Brick partially rolled his eyes at the invitation, then thought about it when she left. He didn't get why he attracted the interest of so many people like a damn magnet. They kept trying to stick to him despite his barriers, though he recently began lowering them for select individuals. Wes and Susie were diligent workers with an enviable friendship, and he valued their opinions. Robin had never been anything less than pleasant toward him, plus she called him handsome a lot. Blossom was someone he no longer wanted to repel at all.

He appreciated her sharp wit, her tech savvy, and the way they didn't have to dumb themselves down around each other. The book he'd been trying to finish was one she mentioned in passing during the bake sale, the collected works of a medieval poet. He thought she was too pragmatic for poetry, flowery ruminations on things like love and the nature of the soul and connecting with Universal Powers That Be. Brick did not believe there was anything above him. He had a creator, yes, a tangible being who designed him from the DNA up, but since opening his eyes to the world after near-death _he_ had been in complete control of his life. Not Mojo, not Him, and certainly no invisible presences. The only thing that influenced his actions was cold, hard, infallible logic… or at least it used to be.

It was not logical to get dressed and go outside. Exposing himself to the elements was mildly detrimental to his health, but Brick did it anyway because Blossom requested his company and he didn't want to disappoint her. He was merely being personable. It had nothing to do with the way his chest warmed when she spotted him and waved, donning that shy smile he'd seen a few times before. He joined her and Robin at the top of the bunny slope. "Now that you're here we can have a race!" the brunette announced. "You and Blossom against me, Mike, Wes and Susie." She shouted for Mike to ditch Harry for a second and drag his sled over.

Brick stood with his hands in his pockets. "Um, I'm not sure—"

"Don't tell me you've never gone _sledding_ before," Susie interjected. "How sheltered are you?!"

"I don't like snow!" he said defensively.

"Ridiculous…" she muttered. "Never gone to public school, never played Truth or Dare before, never had winter fun." They huffed at one another, then Susie softened. "Who doesn't like snow? It makes the world seem pure and beautiful."

Brick didn't feel like explaining his personal biochemistry again and plunked down on the wooden sled. "Can we just get this over with?"

"You should be in front," Blossom suggested. "Having more weight there will help us gain momentum faster." Brick scooted forward so she could sit behind him.

"I can hear you plotting!" Robin called.

"I'm not plotting anything, I'm using physics!" she retorted.

"Don't even think about using your ice breath," Wes added.

"I would never!" She received a dubious "uh huh" and mumbled, "Just because I did it that _one_ time in sixth grade…" Mike counted down from three before they pushed off. Brick wasn't expecting Blossom to embrace him, her snug hold distracting him from the wind nipping at his nose. They crossed the finish line first, but Robin said they were doing the best out of five runs so back up the hill they trudged. She and Mike won the second race, then Wes and Susie won the third. Harry decided to make round four more interesting by telling other students get in the way of their descent. Nobody won since they all crashed. "I have an idea," Blossom whispered as she and Brick waited for their friends to return. "I'll be in front this time." He knelt behind her with tentative hands on her waist. The three teams got situated, Mike did the countdown for the final time, and off they went. About halfway down the slope Blossom leaned forward to feign a sneeze, coating the underside of their sled with ice. They immediately picked up speed and reached the finish line several feet ahead of their competition, skidding to a stop.

Robin pointed a condemning finger at her best friend. "You dirty rotten _cheater!_ I saw that!"

"What did I do?" Blossom innocently queried.

"You used your ice breath! I saw it, I _saw_ it!"

Mike chuckled at the way she got squeaky when she was mad. "I didn't see any ice, Ro." Neither did Susie or Wes. Brick stayed silent, speculating that Blossom cheated so he would win.

"Well _I_ did! She sneezed on the ground and there was a little 'whoosh' and the sparkles!" It was clear no one believed her so she petulantly folded her arms. As soon as Blossom turned her back she scooped up a snowball and threw it, but it drifted off course and hit the nape of Brick's neck instead. Robin gasped and covered her mouth, big blue eyes widening in horror as he faced her. Her voice trembled. "Brick, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to, I was aiming for Blossom…"

Slush somehow infiltrated four layers of clothing and dribbled down his spine. Everyone held their breath while waiting to see how Brick would react, if he was mad enough to lash out, but he wanted nothing more than to take a scalding shower. "It's fine," he finally spoke, and they all sighed in relief. "I'm going back to my room. Remember the buses leave at six tonight."

 _"Snowball fight!"_ someone suddenly bellowed. Several icy missiles came hurtling toward Brick since he presented an excellent target in the air. He summoned an equal number of molten orbs to liquefy them, then he wisely descended to the ground.

Wes gawked. "Didn't know you could do that. Talk about a fiery redhead."

"Do it again!" Brick raised a glowing hand to melt the snowball Mike chucked at him. "Haha, that's so cool!" He tossed another and another, Susie and Wes joining in as well. The three-on-one assault continued until they backed him against a tree. Blossom noticed his strength diminishing and told them to stop attacking him but they just pelted her too, eliciting a yelp. Brick whacked the tree with enough force to dislodge all the snow from the branches, burying the six of them up to their waists. They thought it was the greatest thing ever as they now had ample ammunition for the battle occurring behind them.

Blossom pulled Brick free. "Can you still fly?" she asked. He could only hover a few inches off the ground but that was enough to get back to the lodge where he shivered at the drastic temperature change. She helped him to the fireplace and covered him with a thick blanket while he sat before the flames. "I'll get you something warm to drink. What do you like?"

"Cider…" he rasped, then added, "please." Was it wrong for Blossom to think Brick was kind of cute in his weakened state? She returned from the restaurant to press a mug into his hands. "Thank you."

"Wow, two expressions of gratitude in one day. You must _really_ be feeling under the weather." Brick closed his eyes to her palm on his cheek and several silent seconds ticked by. "I don't understand why you put so much effort into planning this trip for our class knowing you'd be miserable. You don't need to suffer for anyone to like you."

"I don't care if anyone likes me," Brick shot back. He never stuck around long enough for it to matter. No attachments, no relationships. No weird emotions he had no clue how to deal with. No being attracted to brilliant girls with curves more interesting than a sinusoid. He was supposed to be above all that.

"Yes you do," Blossom gently refuted. "Everyone needs someone."

"I have brothers."

"Oh, right. Butch and Boomer went so far out of their way to help you feel better."

"Sometimes they're bad brothers."

She laughed. "And it was pretty mean of our friends to throw so many snowballs at you."

"… _Our_ friends?" Brick repeated.

"If you want them."

Friends. People who enjoyed his company. People he expended energy on having fun with. People whose happiness he cared about. Was that what it meant to be friends? Perhaps he could spend less time working for Max and more time figuring it out.


	8. I Said He's Dangerous

**Chapter Eight: I said he's dangerous**

Once again Bubbles invited Boomer to her ballet performance, and once again he was completely captivated by her. The production was 'Swan Lake' and Mimi was the prima, dancing both Odette and Odile, but Bubbles had ample stage time. Boomer often struggled to differentiate her from Dee Dee, losing track of her when the swans assumed other formations. After the show ended she texted him to come backstage where he bumped into someone in the narrow corridor. "Sorry… Mandark?" The dark-haired boy adjusted his glasses and Boomer noticed he held a bouquet of roses. "Who're those for?"

"Dee Dee," he replied, blushing faintly. "Let me guess, you came to watch Bubbles?" He removed a rose. "They gave me thirteen, so you can give this one to her."

"Thanks." Boomer held it close so it wouldn't get squashed by everyone cramming into the dressing area. He stood on his tiptoes in an attempt to locate Bubbles but she was shorter than him at five-foot-five. Finally he spied her golden hair in its pristine bun. Touching her shoulder made her jump and spin around, but then she flashed the radiant smile that never failed to make his heart skip a beat.

"You're here!" She gave him a brief hug, careful not to poke him with the plethora of jewels adorning her bodice. "Have you seen my sisters?"

"Yeah, they were sitting in front of me." Going by that logic they should have arrived backstage before him. As if on cue they heard Buttercup's strong voice telling people to make way. She and Blossom were a bit rumpled when they finally emerged from the crowd.

"God, this place is packed. Brought you some water."

Bubbles gladly popped the cap. "Omigosh, thank you. This costume is _so warm_ , you wouldn't believe."

"Pretty, though." Blossom fluffed the chiffon skirt. "Are you going to keep it?" Boomer caught the trepidation in her tone, understandable since he'd seen Bubbles' room.

"Nope, I'm donating it to the tutu exchange."

Buttercup raised her phone. "Then let me get a picture for the Professor." Bubbles struck a pose, her countenance shifting from bright and open to demure and melancholy as her sister knelt to take a photo that wouldn't make it obvious she towered above her. "Do one of those leg lifts," she suggested.

"An arabesque?" As she extended her arm Boomer slipped the flower into her hand. Buttercup captured the surprised look on her face, snickering, and stowed her phone as Bubbles got a bit misty-eyed. "No one's ever given me a rose after a performance… thank you! I'll go change now and we can get food!"

Their shared celebratory dinner was so filling that Boomer wanted to sleep in the next morning, or at least he attempted to. The doorbell rang at 8:00 and Butch's bedroom door banged open as he raced to answer it. "That was fast. Thanks, man." Presumably he signed for a package. Boomer thought that was the end of things until he heard furniture being pushed around.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?!" he shouted at the wall.

"Nothin'!" Butch shouted back. Rustling then ensued for a solid five minutes. When he went downstairs again to grab a pack of thumbtacks Boomer stealthily crept into the hall, hiding as he returned sooner than expected. Peering through the sliver of Butch's open door revealed a large poster tube leaning against the TV stand, and a brief use of X-ray vision showed that he was pinning something to his ceiling. Boomer slowly pushed the door open, stole inside, and snatched the package. His brother didn't even notice.

In the hall he withdrew one of the posters for inspection. "Where'd you get these?"

Butch flinched, scowling. "You sneaky fucker! I hate it when you do that! Gimme those back."

"Are these printouts of Buttercup's _entire_ portfolio?"

"On high-gloss paper, so keep your grubby hands off 'em."

Boomer obliged with a snort. "Turning your room into a shrine or something? Brick's gonna maim you."

"Not if you don't tell him."

"Does Leigh know you're obsessing over another girl?"

"I'm not obsessed, I'm in—" Butch stopped talking as Boomer gave a derisive chuckle.

"Wow, no… you're _not_ in love with Buttercup. This is lust."

"And you're the expert, huh? You loved all your girlfriends _sooo_ much that you always found another to stick your dick in as soon as we moved? That's real love?"

Boomer rolled his eyes. "Fine, you're expressing your 'love' for Buttercup by plastering her face all over your room. Brick's still gonna find out at some point."

Butch stayed quiet but not for lack of a comeback. All he need do in order to deflect Brick's wrath was wait for Boomer to proclaim his desire to be with Bubbles. It was _going_ to happen since she validated him more than anyone else. Maybe Butch and Boomer wouldn't have turned into such attention-seeking skirt-chasers if their eldest brother hadn't emotionally distanced himself from everybody so early in life, but Brick did that so no one would compromise his role as the dauntless leader. The Ruffs were too codependent and hadn't been properly socialized, but at least they were now surrounded by people their own age.

Also, it wasn't like Butch could control who he was attracted to; he just had a thing for girls possessing talent. Buttercup was a skilled fighter, and although they were both superhuman weapons of mass destruction she always had an edge over him. A decade had passed, they'd become even stronger, and Butch wanted nothing more than to see if they stood on equal footing. He was fixated on the notion that Buttercup might still be better than him, but after a battle to prove it she'd permit him to show off his bedroom talents. Fighting and fucking, the physical activities that best scratched his crazy itch, would be much more pleasurable if he didn't have to consciously prevent himself from breaking his opponent and/or lover.

A couple days later, as Butch puzzled over geometry homework, Brick flew upstairs and barged into Boomer's room without warning. "What the hell did you just spend eight _thousand_ dollars on?" he demanded.

"An arcade cabinet," Boomer replied with complete nonchalance. Brick inhaled deeply and he got defensive. "Like you didn't spend six grand on phones!"

"Those were necessities, something we each needed! You can't even plug an arcade cabinet into these outlets!"

"It comes with an adapter," Boomer muttered.

Brick folded his arms to present a stern figure. "Where are you going to put it?"

"The office."

"You mean the office where I conduct our business?"

"You _never_ use it! You're _always_ on the computer in your room!"

He could have that one. "You bought it from a company in Japan. How are you going to read the instructions much less play it?"

"Bubbles can read Japanese," Boomer answered.

And here it came. Butch listened intently.

Brick pinched the bridge of his nose. "Let me see if I can work out your thought process. You bought a game you can't understand so you can play it with _Bubbles_ , assuming I would allow her to come here in the first place. Didn't I explicitly tell you not to get involved with anyone in order to maintain our cover?" Boomer remained tight-lipped. "We are here to do a job for Maximilian Morbucks. We're not real high school students. We're not staying in Townsville." Brick banged a fist on the wall, making his brother jump. "We are _not_ getting into relationships with the fucking _Powerpuff Girls!_ "

"But… Bubbles likes me," Boomer said in a small voice. He mustered the courage to look his leader in the eye. "And I like her. I like her a lot, Brick. She's so beautiful and artistic and energetic, and she makes everyone happy. She makes _me_ happy. I want—"

"Do not finish that sentence," he warned.

"—to be with her."

Brick sighed heavily. "You're being selfish, Boomer."

He leapt to his feet. "Me? _I'm_ being selfish? Take a look in the fucking mirror, Brick! You've been telling us what to do our whole lives! We've _always_ done what you want! Have you _ever_ stopped to think about what me and Butch want, that maybe we're sick of mercenary work?" Neither of his siblings had expected that outburst, and Boomer meant to express his opinion on their lifestyle in a calmer manner. Too late now. "I'm outta here." He shouldered past Brick and took off from the roof.

"…For the record," Butch piped up after a moment, "I'm not tryin' to date Buttercup."

"Good," Brick said. "If you tried anything I'm sure she'd kick your ass harder than I ever could."

Joke's on him. That was exactly what Butch wanted.

* * *

Now that Bubbles' biggest source of anxiety had gone away it was time to focus her energy on the Choir concert. They were doing two performances that day, one at 11:00 for the school and one at 6:00 for family members. Bubbles wore a pale blue dress and Boomer wore a white button-up with an ice blue tie, unintentionally matching each other. As students were either pulled from fourth period or first lunch they convened in the auditorium where the teacher took attendance. "Where is Mister Liddell?" she loudly inquired.

"Tom's out sick," someone answered.

"Well that's just perfect! Now your ensemble has been reduced to a duet!" The other members of the trio exchanged worried looks. "Unless we can find someone to replace him in, say, thirty minutes…"

"I'll do it," Boomer offered. "You guys are singing 'Winter Wonderland', right?"

"Yeah, but Tom's a tenor and you're not."

"Make it work!" the woman exclaimed, shooing them away. "Go practice in one of the sound booths, quickly! Everyone else, on the risers. This is our final run-through." As soon as the theater doors opened for their peers a few singers began shaking and hyperventilating. "Deep breaths, everyone. Kristen, sweetie, don't lock your knees or you'll pass out. Wouldn't want you to fall off that top row." Bubbles took hold of the girl's hand and whispered reassuring words to the rest of her neighbors. "Some of you boys look a little sweaty. Can we turn down the lights, please?! That's better. Just keep breathing, lovelies. You all sound wonderful. You're going to blow your friends away!"

Unfortunately the nerves endured during one boy's solo and he came in too early on the second verse, earning some snickers from students in the first few rows. The choir finally hit their stride with 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer' since it was easy and involved audience participation. After that was 'Silver Bells' which they uniquely performed by having each student sing a different line in a predetermined order. That went over quite well, then it was time for the ensemble comprised of a soprano, a bass, and Boomer's baritone. The soprano started blushing profusely about halfway through since they were practically serenading her. The boys sang 'Blue Christmas' next followed by the girls' rendition of 'Santa Baby'. The last song was a mashup of 'Silent Night' and 'Still, Still, Still' composed by their instructor. Bubbles had the honor of singing the bridge between each verse, her soft, clear voice ringing out on its own.

"I'm in love…" Harry remarked, earning light scoffs and playful shoves from the teammates seated around him. "She sings like an angel or somethin'."

"Bubbles is _way_ out of your league," Joey stated.

"Oh yeah?" Harry challenged.

"Okay, sure. Go for it, my guy. Ask her out when we get to the cafeteria." Joey smirked the whole way there until he noticed Butch's unusually blank countenance. He was typically alert, not the type to space out. "What's with you?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"Pay attention. Harry's making a move on Bubbles, it's gonna be hilarious." Butch frowned at that; good thing Boomer had gone somewhere to get lunch. It turned out that the choir girls blockaded him themselves, surrounding Bubbles with praise and gratitude for exuding enough calm to keep them focused. Harry couldn't even get a word in edgewise, then they went chattering from the lunchroom like a gaggle of geese. He returned in obvious dejection and Joey clapped a hand on his shoulder. "A for effort, man."

Mike glanced up from whatever mobile game he was currently invested in. "Harry, have you always had a thing for Bubbles?"

Joey grinned. "'Course he has! Remember those times he tried kissing her in elementary?"

Pablo nearly choked on his food. "Oh god, I remember that! The girls were terrified he'd give them cooties!"

"They all ran away screaming!"

"But he just kept chasing them around the playground!"

"And he was so dirty all the time he probably _did_ have bugs of some kind!"

Mike frowned at that as the cackling died down. Most of the guys in their clique had grown up with Harry, and as they got older it became evident he didn't have the best home life. His parents chose to get high instead of taking proper care of their son, so the fact that Joey had just mentioned Harry's then-deplorable hygiene was extremely not cool. "Why don't you lay off, Fink? You know what kind of stuff he's dealt with."

Joey snorted. "Sure, whatever. Guess you'll just have to wait till some other time to profess your love for Bubbles." Harry remained silent for the rest of lunch.

The remainder of the school day was… tense. Tensions kept arising among Butch's friend group and tension from that weekend lingered at home. He felt a little better upon entering his room. It _did_ kinda seem like a Buttercup shrine now, but didn't most horny teenage boys have pictures of scantily-clad women on their walls? She was only in a state of undress, if one could even call it that, in the Crush and Vail Side posters. There were a couple others he'd grown partial to, her first two jobs in Paris. One was a glamorous ad for cosmetics and the other centered on a diamond engagement ring. The caption cheekily read 'vous l'avez attrapé' but Butch really wanted to end up trapped beneath her. His dreams kept bleeding into daydreams that affected his concentration.

"Hey." Brick knocked on his door and Butch nearly jumped out of his skin. "Are you coming to the second concert?"

"Yeah, sure. Gimme a sec," he answered.

Brick and Boomer waited patiently in the hall, the latter now dressed in a suit. This time the choir would be recorded so they had to look good for the cameras. A few members whisked Boomer away when they returned to school, leaving his brothers to loiter outside the auditorium. At least there were refreshments to distract from the excited whispers of parents, grandparents, and siblings. Seeing so many supportive family members in one place made Brick recall the words Boomer shouted at him. As a matter of fact he _hadn't_ ever stopped to consider that Butch and Boomer might have their own visions of the future. Ten whole years and he wasn't even aware of their hobbies. The choir sounded better, likely due to the fact that they weren't surrounded by judgmental peers but people who loved and supported them unconditionally, family who wanted them to be happy, dream big, and achieve success. That's what the holiday season was about, after all. No wonder it felt so foreign.

The singers took their bow at the end of the program, smiling from ear to ear. Their teacher actually had tears in her eyes. "Wonderful job, lovelies. I'm going to miss you all when the new semester starts. Maybe we can come up with a pop medley or something to perform in February, one song from each of you. Think about it over winter break!" They stepped down from the risers, hugging and congratulating one another and already discussing which chart-toppers to perform. Boomer went backstage where most of the girls had left their bags and jackets, hoping to have a word with Bubbles, but she was already gone by the time he got there. Out front of the auditorium he spied Blossom, Buttercup, and Professor Utonium but no blonde Powerpuff.

She had in fact been waylaid by Harry. "Bubbles, hi," he greeted when she exited the building, blushing before she even smiled at him. "Uhh, y'know, you look really beautiful in that dress, and yer voice… I dunno what to say 'cause you sound heavenly."

She tittered at the compliment. "Thank you, Harry. I'm really surprised you wanted to hear us sing again!"

"Not everyone, just you." Now she was blushing, too. He stuck his hands in his pockets. "Uh, there's somethin' I've wanted to tell ya for a while…" Bubbles instantly recognized that body language since people began wanting to date her in seventh grade. "I really like you!" Harry blurted. "Like, a lot. Yer just so amazin', and I was wonderin' if you'd wanna go out with me sometime?"

Bubbles stared straight ahead at his chest. She'd never given anyone an outright "no" before, always trying her best to ensure everyone was happy. But she had feelings for someone else and it wouldn't be fair to Harry when she couldn't stop thinking about Boomer. "Harry…" she said gently, trying to let him down easy, "thank you for saying such nice things about me, but I don't think I can go out with you. There's already someone else I like. I'm sorry."

His expression fell to disappointment. "Who is it? Does _he_ know you like him?"

"I don't know," she admitted. Guess that was the problem with being so flirtatious all the time; no one could tell when she was serious. "I've been meaning to say something, I've just been really busy lately."

Harry shuffled closer. "So go on a date with me, and if it don't work out you still have a crush on him." Well, that seemed reasonable. "So who's the guy?" he pressed.

Bubbles tilted her head. "Why do you wanna know?"

"No reason…"

Now she was suspicious. "Really? You're not gonna try intimidating him or something?"

"C'mon, would I do that?" Harry chuckled.

"I don't know, would you?" He stopped laughing to frown at her. "You're best friends with Joey. I know he's been going around telling people to bother my sister."

"What's that gotta do with me 'n you, Bubbles?"

"Everything, and if you can't see that then I don't _want_ to go out with you." She ducked her chin and scurried away. Harry watched her join her family members. She must have told them what happened because Buttercup shot him a glare, a "you'd better stay away from my sister or else" kind of look. He interpreted it to mean that he'd have a chance with Bubbles if not for her.

* * *

The next day, Friday, was the last day before Christmas break. Bubbles swung by her locker first thing in the morning to pick up all the little gifts she'd bought for her friends, but while putting them in her bag the door unexpectedly slammed shut. She discovered Joey leaning against the row with his main crew in tow, but Harry, Mike, Lloyd, and Butch all looked like they didn't want to be there. "Hey, Bubbles," Joey greeted with feigned niceness. "Heard my man asked you out last night and you turned him down. What's up with that?"

She maintained an even tone. "I told him I already like someone."

"Uh huh, and you said you haven't told the dude you like _him_ yet, so why not give Harry a shot since he asked first? It was pretty brave of him to admit his feelings for you, right?"

"Of course it was, but—"

"And he's a nice guy, y'know. A little rough around the edges and kinda slow sometimes, but he'll make you laugh."

It was clear that everyone besides Joey was very uncomfortable with this situation. Bubbles stood her ground. "Look, you guys… you don't get to decide who I date or not. I already have feelings for someone else and that's that." She leaned sideways. "I'm flattered that you like me, Harry, but it's not gonna happen right now. I'm sorry. If you wanted to be better friends first—"

"Oh come _on_ , Bubbles!" Joey protested. "Friend-zoning him would break his heart! You know what he said yesterday during the concert? That he's in love with you. We're talking about way more than a stupid crush, here!" Harry shrunk down a ways as Mike shared a "what the fuck?" look with Lloyd and Butch.

Bubbles had about reached her limit with this conversation. "I'm sorry, but I can't choose who I have feelings for! I don't like Harry like that and there's nothing I can do about it, so just… leave me alone, okay?!"

Farther down the hall, Brick and Boomer heard her voice pitching higher in distress. They turned to see Joey blockade her as she tried walking away. "If this really has to do with your bitch of a sister…" he bit out, and they started through the crowd at the same time as Buttercup. She got there first.

"Call me whatever you want, but don't you dare harass Bubbles." When Joey still didn't leave she shoved him backwards. "You and your loser friends can fuck off now."

"Who you callin' a loser?" Harry grabbed her shoulder to spin her around. "You tell your sister I ain't good enough for her? That why she won't go out with me?"

Buttercup smacked his arm aside. "It's because you're an asshole who won't take no for an answer!" He made a fist against the locker like he was going to hit it, then his fingers unfurled. Joey didn't exhibit as much restraint. He gripped a fistful of her shirt and Buttercup rounded on him with her elbow raised, but a hand shot out to catch it before it made contact with his temple.

"What's going on here?" Brick asked in a scary-calm tone. Joey scoffed and glanced away while Boomer pulled a sniffling Bubbles out from between them, murmuring comforting words. Realization dawned on Harry's visage.

"Nothing's going on any more," Buttercup answered, shrugging him off. "Nothing I couldn't handle, at least."

Brick scrutinized everyone involved, lingering on Butch. He would be wise to distance himself from his so-called friends if they were planning to stir up trouble. "Good. Make sure it stays that way." He headed for the stairs to the computer lab as Boomer escorted Bubbles down the hall, and Buttercup flipped her now bob-cut hair in Joey's face before walking off.

'Simmering' was the best way to describe the football captain when the other team members joined him at lunch. He had his fingers laced over his lips while staring across the cafeteria at Bubbles. She was always surrounded by people, making it impossible to get to her. Harry set his tray down with a sigh. "Man, I know what yer thinkin'. Just forget it."

"No," he said firmly, "the Powerpuffs act like they're better than everyone else but they're not. They don't get to play games with us."

Mike groaned. "Dude, just let it go already. The thing with Buttercup, this thing with Bubbles… You heard what she said, she likes someone else."

"Yeah, Boomer…" Harry muttered.

 _"Boomer?"_ Lloyd gaped. "She has the hots for Butch's little brother?"

"Duh. Ain't you seen them this morning?"

"No, I was watching Brick. Guy makes me nervous." They focused on Butch as he arrived. "Hey, did you know Bubbles has a crush on Boomer?" Lloyd asked.

He froze for a second. "…Yeah, but Brick said we're not allowed to date so it doesn't really matter." Technically he wasn't dating Leigh so he was in the clear.

Joey perked up upon hearing that. "Great, then that gives Harry the advantage. Don't you have history with Bubbles next period?" Butch nodded and a smirk turned his lips. "Tell her you want her to go with you to talk to the teacher about the Christmas break homework." Butch hedged. "Go, now! Harry, Lloyd, you come with me." They followed him without question. Across from the U.S. History classroom was a girl's bathroom. Just before reaching it Joey abruptly stopped and drove a fist into Lloyd's nose.

"What the _fuck?!_ " he cried, leaning forward to avoid staining his clothes with blood. "The fuck was that for?!"

"Don't be a pussy, I barely hit you." Joey then opened the bathroom door a crack. "Hey, anyone in here? My buddy tripped and fell on his face. He could use a tampon." Two freshman girls appeared and one hastily dug a product out of her bag. "Thanks. This might hurt a little, Lloyd."

"It already fucking hurts!" He winced as cotton filled his left nostril. "Mike was right. You're a dick."

"Your own fault for being a klutz." Gray eyes glared daggers at him. "Would you ladies mind taking Lloyd to the nurse's office? We'll go get the janitor." Once they were alone, Joey grinned. "Awesome. Get in there." Harry appeared quite confused by the sequence of events but obeyed as expected. A few minutes later Butch and Bubbles walked through the hallway junction. "Hey, you guys! We need your help! Lloyd had a little accident." They spotted the blood splatters on the floor and came right over. "In here. He's okay, mostly… guard the door," he whispered to Butch.

Bubbles didn't see Lloyd in the bathroom, only Harry, and then Joey when he came in to lean against the door. Neither of them were bleeding so she was beyond puzzled until the captain folded his arms, and the gears began turning in her mind. "Is this… a setup?" she hesitantly inquired.

"Yeah, it is," Joey admitted. "You owe Harry an apology."

"For what?"

"For turning him down when you can't even go out with Boomer."

Bubbles blinked. "What do you mean I… How do you know I like him?" The only people she talked to about her crush on Boomer were the other cheerleaders whom she'd sworn to secrecy. Buttercup knew too but she never blabbed to anyone, not even Blossom.

Joey rolled his eyes. "It wasn't rocket science, Bubbles. We figured it out this morning." Her cheeks flushed. "And Butch told us that he and Boomer aren't allowed to date anyone, so I guess that means your feelings for him are pointless." That was news to her. Why hadn't Boomer mentioned it before? Then again, why would he when he wasn't aware of her attraction to him? Everything was getting so complicated! "Aww, Harry, she's crying. Better kiss her and make it better."

"Wh-what?" he stammered.

"It's what you want, right? You've always wanted to kiss her since we were little kids. Well, now's your chance. She's all yours."

Bubbles swiped at her tears and directed a mean look at the boy. "Don't even think about it! Don't you dare touch me!"

Joey snickered. "C'mon, Harry, get her! You can take her! Even if she had her powers right now she's still the _weak_ one." Bubbles whirled around to kick him in the shin. "Oww! You little…" Large arms enveloped her from behind and she released a piercing scream. "For fuck's sake cover her mouth!" Harry's palm muffled the cry as Joey nursed his bruised leg. "Okay, do your thing while I check to make sure no one heard that…" Upon opening the door he came face to face with Buttercup.

"Surprise, bitch." A foot slammed into his stomach, knocking him on his back. Buttercup planted her shoe on Joey's chest while he gasped for air. "Let go of my sister." Harry did so immediately, raising his hands in surrender, but the green Puff was so far beyond pissed that she decked him anyway, sending him to the ground with a right hook. "Come on, Bubbles." As they stepped over the sprawling boys Joey recovered enough to grab Buttercup's ankle, tripping her, and her chin hit the ground hard. He dragged her beneath him, tearing at her jacket while she raked her nails down his neck. Bubbles screamed again.

A blue blur came flying into the bathroom. Boomer barely had to glimpse to situation to realize what was going on, striking Joey's chest with the flat of his hand to get him off Buttercup. Bubbles scrambled to her feet and threw her arms around him; he held her and let her weep on his hoodie. Buttercup shook her head to clear it while righting herself. As soon as the football players returned to their senses they also stood, glaring at the blond boy. "Who do you think you are?" Joey spat. "You're a nobody, a freak, and you can't even be with her so back off." Boomer said nothing, refusing to budge from his position in front of the girls. "Fine. Guess we'll have to _make you_ get out of our way."

In the heat of the moment, hyped up on adrenaline and the promise of a fight, Joey forgot that his opponent was superhuman. Boomer effortlessly caught his punch and then broke his wrist by bending it backwards, leaving him howling in pain. Harry presented a much larger and more imposing figure but he was still no threat at all. Boomer sidestepped his swing to knee him in the gut, and as Harry doubled over he bashed his head into a sink, shattering the porcelain. He somehow remained conscious. Boomer held the collar of his shirt in one hand while white-hot sparks of electricity crackled around the other, prepared to turn the big, dumb meathead into a vegetable.

 _"Stop!"_ Bubbles shouted. Boomer turned to find her regarding him with an expression of utter horror. "Let him go." He looked down at Harry, at the blood gushing from his forehead and running in rivulets down his face, and released him. Bubbles then snagged a handful of paper towels and knelt beside him to staunch the wound. She scowled at Boomer. "How could you?" His lips parted but she started yelling at him. "How could you hurt Harry like this?! You know he's nowhere near as strong as you! Were you really going to use your powers on him?!"

Boomer didn't understand why _he_ was the target of her anger. "I… I heard you screaming. Didn't they hurt you and Buttercup?"

"They weren't going to hurt me," Bubbles refuted, "they were just being stupid."

"And I'm fine," Buttercup added, shrugging off her leather jacket since Joey had broken the zipper. The next minute a teacher from a nearby classroom appeared to see what all the fuss was about, gasping at the sight of three students sporting injuries.

Buttercup, Joey, and Harry joined Lloyd in the infirmary where he had thick padding on his broken nose. "What the hell happened?" he wondered.

"Shut up," Joey ordered while a nurse examined the purple bruise on his abdomen. "Don't say anything to anybody."

"Fine, fuck you then." Lloyd was officially done with Joey. No more stupid drama, no more lying for him, no more getting punched in the face for no goddamn reason by someone he thought was his friend. Once he had recovered enough Miss Keane called him into her office. Blossom, Bubbles, and all three Rowdyruffs sat outside. Lloyd felt fury radiating off Brick.

Since the Ruffs didn't have a parental guardian and Brick was the eldest, it was his responsibility to deal with Boomer's act of violence. As the last couple hours of the school day ticked by and he listened to Keane interrogate those involved he decided his brother wasn't entirely in the wrong. The principal agreed, sort of. She finally asked Brick and Blossom to join her, massaging her tired brow. "Do either of you have any idea how all this started?"

Blossom shook her head but Brick answered, "Boomer has romantic feelings for Bubbles."

She nodded. "As does Harry. Evidently he professed them after the choir concert yesterday but she didn't reciprocate."

"So he's jealous of Boomer?" Blossom deduced.

"I assume so. It seems as though Joey confronted her about spurning Harry. Apparently he contrived a situation that required hitting Lloyd, but he has no idea what ensued after he arrived at the infirmary. As Butch and Bubbles went to their history class, Joey alerted them to Lloyd's injury although he was in fact not present."

Blossom's lips turned down. "Joey lured her into the bathroom to try persuading her to go out with Harry? Did they… force her?" She was relieved that Miss Keane responded in the negative. "How did Buttercup and Boomer get involved?"

"Apparently they were both in the vicinity and heard Bubbles screaming. Buttercup was suspicious when she left the cafeteria with Butch, and Boomer was delivering food to a teacher. He broke Joey's wrist, gave Harry a concussion as well as a laceration requiring stitches, and also damaged school property." Miss Keane studied Brick's impassive visage for a second. "I've decided to put all three boys in after-school detention for a month when we return from winter break, and Boomer will receive doses of Antidote X during that time. May I have your opinion on this, Brick?"

"It's fine…" he glowered, "he deserves it."

"All right, then. I need you to sign this form." Blossom noticed his white-knuckle grip on the pen. "Thank you. You two may head home now."

Brick held the door for Blossom and simply gave his siblings a look that had them following him outside without a word, the Puffs trailing. As they neared the gate to the courtyard Boomer broke the silence. "Brick, I'm sor—" The next instant his brother slammed him against the rock pillar, his skull hitting the stone with a sickening crack.

"Stop it! Let him go!" Blossom tried in vain to pull on Brick's arm. "He did nothing wrong! He saved my sisters!" She tugged harder and gasped in surprise when Brick rounded on her, eyes blazing with rage.

"You're right, Boomer didn't do anything wrong. He's not the one to blame here." He pointed a condemning finger at the Girls. "This is _your_ fault, all of it. If you didn't insist on taking Antidote X, Bubbles would've been able to defend herself. Buttercup wouldn't have had to watch out for her. Boomer wouldn't have had to rescue both of them from two entitled Neanderthals!"

Blossom's mouth opened and closed a few times as she thought of a retort, but admittedly she was beginning to understand his point of view. Buttercup responded by ripping the bandage off her chin and getting in Brick's face. "How many fucking times do I have to tell you that we don't need saving like pathetic little damsels in distress? No one _asked_ Boomer to step in! I could've handled Joey and Harry without a problem! That's why I study MMA, to beat down assholes like them!"

"Well it's not serving you very well, is it?" Brick snarked. "The football team has been harassing you for months."

"Joey's just desperate for attention. I have better things to do than give it to him." Buttercup crossed her arms. "But he doesn't get to fuck with my sisters. If something happens after this, I'll handle him personally."

"The fact is he never should've had the audacity to mess with you in the first place."

Blossom rolled her eyes, sick of hearing that argument. "Because we're superhuman and better than everyone else, yadda-yadda. We get it, Brick. _You're_ actually the one who's afraid of losing your powers and being perceived as weak."

"I most certainly am not!"

Buttercup sneered. "Then prove it. Take the antidote with Boomer. You too, Butch."

"Leave him out of this!" Brick abruptly spun toward him. "And where the fuck were you when everything went down, anyway?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I was gonna get stuff to clean up the hall. Didn't know Joey broke Lloyd's nose on purpose."

"That's because he's a shitty friend who only uses people to further his own agenda," Buttercup said.

Butch was starting to see that now. "I don't wanna take any antidote," he put in.

"And I refuse to," Brick added, "so keep it far away from us." They both lifted into the air. "Let's go, Boomer."

He hesitated. "Bubbles, I—"

"Don't," she interjected. "Don't talk to me." She almost felt guilty for snapping at him since he looked at her like a kicked puppy, but she just couldn't deal with him right now, or anything else. She held it together until getting home where she broke down crying on her bed. Having expected such waterworks, Blossom and Buttercup sat with her. "He's a bad guy, isn't he?" Bubbles wailed. "He's been bad all along and I refused to see it 'cause I'm a stupid idiot! I can't believe Boomer… what he did to them… He could've killed them!"

Buttercup rubbed her back. "Boomer wasn't gonna kill those assholes, he just wanted to hurt them for hurting you."

"They didn't _do_ anything to me! Harry just wanted to… kiss me or something…" Or at least Joey told him to.

"I think that still counts as assault, Bubbles. There's no telling how things may have escalated if someone didn't intervene. Joey was using you to get back at Buttercup."

"'Cause he's a douchebag."

"Because he's a petty and spoiled jerk," Blossom agreed. "Who knows what sorts of twisted ideals he instilled in his friends?" She ran her fingers through Bubbles' hair. "Do you have feelings for Boomer?"

"Not any more," she mumbled into her pillow.

Buttercup hummed. "I'm not gonna say I told you so, but you should've gone through that hard drive."

"You mean you didn't?" Blossom gasped. "You had it for an entire week!"

"…Sorry I'm stupid." Bubbles turned over with an arm shielding her eyes.

"Oh, you're not stupid. Maybe just—"

"Weak against pretty boys," Buttercup finished. Blossom laughed slightly as Bubbles smiled. After a few more minutes of sniffling she sat up.

"I wanna see it, whatever the Rowdyruffs did. I need to know how evil they are."

Her sisters shared a look. "The thing is, they're not really evil."

"They operate in a morally gray zone," Blossom clarified. "Just keep that in mind."

Bubbles nodded and waited for her to fetch the hard drive. They left her alone as she plugged it into her laptop, bracing herself for the worst things imaginable. A few hours later, when she joined her family for dinner, she'd only succeeded in becoming highly conflicted. Boomer had hurt a lot of people, there was irrefutable proof of that, but it wasn't anyone who didn't deserve it. The Ruffs were basically bad guys who merc'd even badder guys, thereby doing good in the grand scheme of things. They overthrew evil dictators, prevented civil wars, put a stop to human trafficking and drug rings, rescued politicians being held for ransom, and outright demolished terrorist organizations. But they did that in exchange for money, not out of the goodness of their hearts.

She stared at her phone for a long while. Bubbles thought she owed Boomer an apology for being harsh with him and gratitude for stopping Joey before he injured Buttercup. Then she recalled the savage manner in which Boomer smashed Harry's head into the sink and a knot formed in her stomach. She never thought a cute, sweet boy could exhibit such violence. And then he lifted his hand to give Harry a good zap which definitely would've caused brain damage after sustaining blunt-force trauma. Boomer didn't stop to consider that, he just acted the only way he knew how… because Brick's leadership had conditioned him to be that way. He never had a choice in the matter.

 _Thank_ _you_ , Bubbles texted before second-guessing herself.

 _Do you hate me now?_ Boomer asked.

 _No_. But she did pity him. _I need time to think_. About their friendship and her emotions that he evidently shared.

 _Okay_. Another text came in several minutes later. _Sorry if I scared you._

 _You did_ , she admitted.

 _I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to do._

 _I know._ Bubbles understood. It really had been an 'act first and ask questions later' kind of situation, and Joey's antagonizing hadn't done anything to alleviate the tension. _Promise me you won't use your powers on anyone at school again._

 _I won't. They're taking them away with Antidote X._

Her heart sank. _Permanently?_ That was much too harsh of a punishment!

 _Just for January_ , Boomer assured. _What's it like?_

 _Not having powers?_ Bubbles mulled it over. _You'll be cold since it's winter, and you can't eat as much 'cause you'll get fat. And you can't fly, obviously. You'll have to take the bus to school or something._

Better idea: Butch could get one of the many cars he'd always wanted and drive him around. Boomer passed the suggestion along to his brother and he zipped downstairs where Brick had just gotten off the phone with Joey's angry father. "I know what I want for Christmas!" he announced.

"We don't celebrate Christmas."

"Never too late to start a new tradition!" Butch handed him one of the posters previously adorning his walls. "I want _that_. It's in your budget." Brick gave it a once-over and grunted his displeasure. "C'mon, it's practical!"

"How is a car like _this_ practical in any way?"

"It's a hybrid," Butch said matter-of-factly. "Savin' the environment never looked so sexy."

Red irises burned into him. "Tell me you had nothing to do with what happened today and _maybe_ I'll think about buying you this car."

His gaze instantly fell to the hardwood floor. "I just asked Bubbles to talk to our teacher with me."

"That's it? Joey didn't inform you of his plan?" Butch shook his head. Brick could tell he felt guilty about it. "Well, good. The Powerpuffs might not appreciate it, but we're the only ones who can protect them."

Way to make things confusing. Be close enough to save Buttercup at any given moment, but ignore her otherwise and don't develop an attraction. Be friendly enough that people will accept him, but don't make friends because the Ruffs weren't sticking around. Did Brick even realize what he was saying? "Hey, what do _you_ want for Christmas?" Butch inquired.

"A straight week of peace and quiet," Brick replied, but he didn't believe in miracles.


	9. All I Want for Christmas is You

**Chapter Nine: All I want for Christmas is you**

For the entire year Blossom had been compiling a list of gifts to buy her family members for Christmas, crossing out what they acquired before the holiday season. She still had many to choose from as she flew around town, popping into stores to get what she needed and nothing else. She was an efficient shopper, much more so than her sisters who she beat to the mall by half an hour. They were going to split up to buy presents for the Professor, each taking one of the building's three floors, but while she wasted time playing on her phone in the food court she went over her list again and realized there was something else she could get for Bubbles.

Her sister collected a series of historical fashion encyclopedias and only needed a couple more to complete the set. Blossom drifted around the whole bookstore twice before finding it in the sale section, but she couldn't pass up the chance to see what else had been discounted and grabbed a hardcover copy of 'The Demon-Haunted World' for twelve dollars. She then spotted a familiar figure standing in an aisle, or at least he looked familiar from the back; there weren't many tall redheaded men in Townsville. "Brick?" He turned toward her in surprise. "What are you reading?"

"Nothing," he said, placing the book on its shelf.

Blossom spied the title and smiled. A poetry anthology. "Are you shopping for your brothers?"

"No?" He appeared confused as to why she would assume that.

"Buying yourself a present, then?"

Brick shook his head. "No, we don't do that. I'm just browsing."

He started to leave but Blossom stopped him. "What do you mean you don't buy Christmas presents?"

"We don't really celebrate it," he answered. "It's just another day for us."

"It most certainly is _not_ , Brick Lucian." He frowned at her use of his full name. "Christmas is a day of giving and being thankful for your family. You of all people should celebrate it."

"Well, we don't. I don't know what else to tell you."

They stood there staring at one another for a moment. "Tell me you'll come to dinner at our house," Blossom said.

He blinked. "What?"

"You heard me." Blossom inched forward into his personal space. "I'm inviting you Boys to have dinner with us Christmas evening."

Brick considered it. "Do we have to bring anything?"

"Just pleasant dispositions and hearty appetites." Her eyes traveled down him and back up. "Despite your behavior before winter break, I know you can be pleasant. I'd like to have that Brick sitting at our table."

"I…" He cleared his throat. "I need to consult my brothers." Blossom flashed a pretty smile and took her books to the front counter, leaving him mildly stunned.

Brick found Butch and Boomer in a shoe store. "Snow boots are on sale, Bro," the former said by way of greeting. "Get some so I don't have to keep listenin' to you bitch about your cold feet."

"There's a more pressing matter at hand," Brick returned. "We've been invited to the Utonium residence for Christmas dinner."

His siblings were just as shocked to hear this. "Seriously? Did you say yes?"

"I said I had to discuss it with you," Brick replied.

"Yes, obviously!" Butch exclaimed. "Can you _imagine_ Bubbles' home cooking? And Blossom's baking?! She made delicious eclairs in culinary arts, y'know. Gave me a foodgasm every time I ordered 'em."

Good to know he was on-board with the idea. "Boomer, what do you think?"

"Oh, so my opinion matters all of a sudden?"

Brick sighed at his newfound attitude. "Yes, your opinion matters. I want to know what you would like to do."

"I would like to have dinner with the Powerpuff Girls if that's okay with you, Your Highness."

"Stop calling me that." Brick texted a confirmation to Blossom and got a smiley face in response. "Okay, we're going. We need to dress nicely since it's an important holiday."

"I hate clothes shopping…" Boomer grumbled.

"Well, too bad. Half your wardrobe makes you look like a beach bum."

"I'm sorry I can't pull off the same business casual look as you, _Brick_."

He sighed. "You just need something tailored or fitted that didn't come from a thrift shop." Butch snickered. "And _you_ need an outfit that doesn't make it seem like you live at the gym." Boomer stuck out his tongue. "And I need… a new hat. Let's split up and meet at the fountain in an hour."

Coincidentally that was where Blossom regrouped with her sisters when they finally arrived at the mall. "I have something to tell you," she said.

"Did you go and get the Professor a tie? We agreed that's a lame gift and none of us were gonna get him a tie this year."

She pursed her lips at Buttercup. "It has nothing to do with that. I ran into Brick a few minutes ago and—"

Deducing her exact train of thought, Bubbles gasped. "You didn't!"

"—I invited the Rowdyruffs to Christmas dinner with us."

"Nooo! Why would you do that?!"

"Because they've never celebrated it before," Blossom calmly explained.

Bubbles tugged on her braid in dismay. "That means Boomer will be in our house!"

"Yes, and?"

"And it'll be awkward!"

Buttercup rolled her eyes. "Like you weren't gonna talk things over with him, anyway."

"When we got back to school, after I had time to think about stuff!" She abruptly relaxed. "It's fine, I'll just stay in the kitchen all day so I don't have to interact with him." She then gasped. "Blossom, do you have any idea how much food we have to make now?! We're gonna need _another_ ham!"

"We'll worry about that next week," she assured. "For now, let's just focus on what we agreed to buy for the Professor. You both have your lists?"

"Yep." Buttercup withdrew hers and frowned. "Should we get stuff for the guys, too?"

Bubbles clapped at the idea. "Ooh, yes! How 'bout accessories that match their phones? Hats, scarves, gloves?"

"Didn't you _just_ say things were awkward between you and Boomer? Now you wanna give him presents?"

"He still deserves to be warm, especially since he's losing his powers in _January_." Bubbles faced Blossom. "And Brick doesn't handle the cold too well, right?"

"Not at all."

"So winter accessories are perfect! I'll get something white for Boomer 'cause his phone is white."

"…Butch's is black."

"And Brick's is silver." Blossom raised a hand before her sisters dispersed. "Hold on, I'm pretty sure they're shopping here. Try not to let them see you."

Buttercup nodded. "Stealth mission, got it."

"And don't forget about the Professor!"

"We won't!" Bubbles called. They flew off in opposite directions and Blossom smiled. Now she had to figure out which monochromatic shade Brick would be most partial to.

* * *

Christmas morning in the Utonium household had gotten far less chaotic over the years, but there were still multiple armloads of wrapping paper to carry out to the recycling bin and plenty of tree needles to vacuum up. After everyone made themselves presentable for that night, the Professor engaged in his yearly ritual of watching Christmas specials on TV as the Girls fell into their designated routines. Buttercup gave the house one more thorough cleaning while Blossom and Bubbles began the arduous task of preparing hors d'oeuvres, dinner, and dessert for seven people, six of whom consumed much more food than the average person. The Professor, surprisingly, had not been averse to the notion of dining with the Rowdyruff Boys.

Buttercup washed the first round of dishes and utensils while her sisters took a break. At 4:00 on the dot a fancy sports car pulled up to the curb in front of their house, her jaw dropping at the sight of it through the window. "I think the guys are here," she relayed. Before Blossom or Bubbles could reach the front door to greet them Buttercup yanked it open, startling them with her intensity. "There's _no way_ that's your car."

Butch pocketed the keys, grinning. "Yeah way. Wanna check it out?"

She swiftly put on a coat and shouted over her shoulder. "Professor, you'd better come see this thing!"

He appeared behind her in the entryway, mouth falling open. "Oh my, that does look quite nice. You boys go on in, make yourselves at home." Boomer and Brick waited for him to scurry out to the street before letting Blossom hang up their jackets, then she showed them to the warm and cozy living room.

Buttercup slowly circled the vehicle, running her fingertips along its sleek body lines. She and Butch weren't friends so she wasn't familiar with his tastes, but he always struck her as a Jeep Wrangler type of guy, something fuckboy-ish. This wasn't even the kind of car that egotistical professional athletes drove. It had a pearl black paint job and black leather interior so at least that was consistent with what she knew about him. "What even _is_ this?" she asked.

"Porsche 918 Spyder," Butch supplied. "It's a hybrid."

The Professor was astonished. "Really? _This_ has a battery pack? What's the range?"

"Dunno yet, only been drivin' it for an hour. On just gas it averages twenty-two mpg."

"How fast does it go?" Buttercup wondered.

Butch rubbed the back of his neck, unsure if he should answer truthfully in the presence of her creator. "I got it up to two-hundred and fifteen on the way here."

"Now that is impressive, honestly." The Professor sighed. "Makes me miss my old Stingray."

"Get a new one, or go for the ZR1."

Buttercup quirked an eyebrow. "Are you really telling my dad to buy a sports car?" Butch shrugged innocently and she laughed. "See you two inside." As soon as she turned around they dove back into the technical specs, and they were still talking by the time she finished the dishes. Her duty then became ferrying snacks to the boys sitting at opposite ends of the couch. "You guys clean up nice," she commented. Brick always tried to look polished but he still muttered a "thanks". Boomer missed the compliment entirely, his attention fixated on the TV since he'd never seen any sort of animated Christmas show.

Eventually Butch and the Professor came in, shivering. "It's starting to snow out there!" the latter announced.

Brick's eyes widened as Blossom handed him a mug of apple cider, smirking. "Your favorite thing. Dinner should be done by six, by the way. In the meantime…"

"Presents!" Bubbles trilled from the kitchen.

He gave Blossom the slightest of frowns. "You said we weren't supposed to bring anything."

"You weren't. You're our guests so we got you gifts." Brick was pretty sure gift-giving was supposed to be a mutual thing yet accepted the small package anyway. All three boys sat motionless. "Well, open them!" Blossom urged.

Butch immediately reduced the wrapping paper to confetti. "Ooh, these are the Vail Side Talon gloves! I almost bought them for the ski trip!" He put them on and wiggled his fingers, marveling at the lightweight flexible fabric, then eyed Buttercup. It probably meant nothing that they matched her own gloves, charcoal with neon green stitching. "Thanks."

"Yeah, seriously, thanks." Boomer snuggled into his cream-colored scarf. "What's this material? It's super soft."

"Cashmere," Bubbles answered. She peeked around the corner, blushing. "I'm glad you like it."

Brick had replaced his cap with the pewter beanie Blossom got for him. "This is really warm. Thank you."

"You're welcome. It's alpaca fleece." She returned to the kitchen to begin prepping fruit for the pies.

Silence reigned after that, but it was a comfortable silence. Boomer moved off the couch to sit cross-legged in front of the TV, utterly captivated by the stop motion productions of 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' and 'The Year Without a Santa Claus'. Butch got up to inspect the décor starting with the tree ornaments, then he began poking at all the interesting gizmos on the shelves. "Stop _touching_ everything," Brick scolded, "this isn't our house."

The Professor waved it off. "It's fine. Do you know what that is?" He gestured to the glass tube Butch stood beside. "It's a Galileo thermometer. The temperature is determined by the lowest floating colored bulb."

He studied it. "So it's seventy degrees right now?" The Professor nodded and Butch thought that was pretty neat. He came back to the coffee table to sample the hors d'oeuvres. "Whatever this cheese is with the baguette, it's delicious."

"Glad you like it! It's baked brie and raspberry chutney," Blossom said.

Brick was totally stealing that recipe. "Do you two need help with anything?" he offered.

Blossom started to say they were fine but Bubbles interrupted with a "yes!" He washed his hands and stood at attention. "Could you slice these potatoes, please?"

"How thin?"

"Like, an eighth of an inch." He grabbed the second chef's knife and set to work. "Whoa, you're being really precise," Bubbles remarked after a minute, "and fast. Do you actually cook, Brick?"

"On occasion." Five nights out of the week, typically.

"Well, maybe you should take culinary arts next semester. It's super fun, I did it freshman year. It'd probably be an easy A for you."

"I don't…" His grades didn't matter in the long run, but he just sighed. "I'll think about it."

"You _always_ say that," Bubbles teased, bumping him with her hip. Boomer glared at the innocent interaction until Butch flicked a marshmallow at him, then he prepared to return fire with a piece of popcorn.

Buttercup removed the snack bowl from their reach. "I just cleaned the heck out of this place. If you wanna throw stuff at each other go have a snowball fight." They both donned their newly-received accessories and raced outside, tossing feeble snowballs since there was only a little powder on the ground. "Can I get an assist, Bloss? I want to make a snowman." Buttercup waited on the front step while her sister took a deep breath and blew out a steady stream of frost, adding six inches of snow to the lawn. It didn't take long to sculpt the perfect snowman; unfortunately the boys remained true to their namesake and got so rowdy that they barreled right into it, ruining her hard work. "Thanks a lot, assholes!" They thought it was hilarious, less so when Buttercup began chucking hard-packed missiles at them.

Butch raised his arms to protect himself. "Oww, oww! C'mon, it was an accident!" A solid _thunk_ sounded behind him and the jovial expression fell off his face. "You did _not_ just hit my brand-new car."

"Oops?" She shrieked as he formed a small green shield to douse her with a wall of snow. "You jackass! I _just_ got this top!" Buttercup flew upstairs to her room, emerging with a new blouse on. Butch and Boomer had the courtesy to brush themselves off outside before coming back in. By then Bubbles had begun setting the table and paused to look their way as they convened at the foot of the staircase.

"Buttercup, you left slush all over the entry… oh." Her eyes flicked from the three of them to something above their heads a few times.

"Why'd you hang a branch there?" Boomer wondered.

Buttercup groaned. "It's not a branch, it's fff–reaking mistletoe." Blossom shot her a warning glance for almost swearing in front of the Professor, but he probably wouldn't have noticed due to being engrossed by his tablet. "Why the heck did you put it right here?!" Bubbles spread her hands. She'd just wanted their house to be festive.

"What's mistletoe?" Butch asked.

"A dumb freaking plant you have to kiss people under!" Buttercup griped.

"For real?" He briefly bit his lip. "What kinda kiss are we talkin'? Tongue or no tongue?"

She crossed her arms. "Doesn't matter. I'm not getting kissed by either of you."

"You have tooo!" Bubbles sang. "It's tradition!"

"A stupid one!"

Blossom finished drying her hands and stood with one on her hip. "In the Victorian era it was considered very rude for a lady to refuse a kiss from a gentleman while standing under mistletoe. Also, you get one kiss per berry."

Buttercup gave the sprig a harsh look. "There's two."

"Does that mean they both have to kiss you?"

"No one's kissing anybody! It's not the Victorian era!"

"But it's tradition." The green Puff fumed. "They could just kiss your cheeks," Bubbles suggested.

Boomer hunched one shoulder. "I'm fine with that."

"Me too," Butch agreed. Buttercup began to protest vehemently but was cut off when they moved in at the same time. Two pairs of soft full lips landed on the apples of her cheeks, a mere second of contact, but as they pulled away she flushed scarlet from her ears to her chest. "That wasn't so bad."

Buttercup scowled at him. "Don't you have a girlfriend? How'd she feel if she knew you enjoyed kissing other girls?"

"Leigh isn't my girlfriend," Butch stated for what had to be the bazillionth time, "and I didn't say I _liked_ it." Even though he really did.

Boomer was blushing less profusely than her. "You smell nice, Buttercup."

"Thanks, it's my new perfume." Flattery was a surefire way to deflate her anger. She still flailed at them. "Go sit at the table already so we can get this dinner over with!"

* * *

The menu was not terribly complex, leaning heavily toward the savory end of the flavor spectrum. Maple-glazed ham, scallop potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts with shallots, and a colorful salad. For dessert Blossom made two strawberry rhubarb pies and served them with vanilla ice cream, a perfectly sweet ending to the dinner party even if the talk was a bit stilted at times, limited to school and related activities. Afterward it was discovered the Professor had been researching Corvettes on his tablet. He and Butch dove deep into conversation.

"This is freaking me out," Buttercup said, staring at them. "I think the Professor actually _likes_ Butch. How could this happen?"

"Boys and their toys," Bubbles sighed. She was ready to crash having been on her feet all day, drying off the last plate Blossom handed to her. "And done. Whew, I'm gonna go lay down for a minute. That okay?" Her sisters shooed her away and she drifted upstairs to her room. Boomer tracked her until she disappeared, wearing a very obvious expression of longing. He wanted to talk to her but wasn't sure what to say. What if Bubbles no longer even wanted to be his friend? She said she needed time to think, which was fine, but he hoped she wouldn't wait too long to reach out to him.

Buttercup went to sit down and relax as well while Blossom crafted the best hot chocolate to ever grace humanity. "So if Butch got that car for Christmas, what'd you guys get?" she questioned.

"A camera," Boomer answered softly, "a really nice one I can take good pictures with." He hadn't expected to nearly trip over a gift-wrapped box outside his room that morning. Butch had been similarly gobsmacked to discover the Porsche in the parking lot with a big red bow on it.

"Awesome. Brick?"

"They found me a first edition of 'Tree and Leaf' signed by Tolkien." Blossom made a garbled noise in the kitchen and everyone turned toward her in alarm. "Are you all right?" Brick inquired.

"I'm fine!" she called, then stuck her head around the corner. "Do you collect books like that?"

"I have a few." His brother scoffed. "Fine, more than a few."

"Try two whole bookcases of dusty old novels," Boomer corrected.

"Could I see it sometime, your collection?" Blossom asked in a hopeful tone.

Boomer regarded his brother intently because he knew that if Blossom were allowed to visit the penthouse then Bubbles would be too, and Brick would make a giant hypocritical ass of himself if he permitted one Puff into their home but not the others. "Maybe," he replied. If Blossom kept giving him amazing apple cider he might just ask her to take up permanent residence. She handed Buttercup and Boomer their cocoa and started lowering a mug into Brick's waiting hands but then withdrew it, his brow knitting.

"Come with me for a second," she gestured. He followed her to the door on the adjacent wall, completely not expecting it to lead to her bedroom. It was dim, currently illuminated by a trio of gourd lights hanging over her bed, and rather small with just enough room for a desk and some shelving units before it would've been too cramped. Little flashes of color winked at him from all angles and there was a beautiful floral mosaic on one wall with a mirror in the center. Brick got the sense that someone made it especially for her. He inhaled deeply; her personal space smelled like strawberries, cherries, roses, and other luscious red things. "When we saw each other at the mall I noticed you were reading a poetry collection." Her fingers danced across titles until locating the one she sought, proffering it. "I have that book already and it's pretty good. The author included some unconventional works. You might like them."

Brick tentatively accepted it. "I'm not really into poetry…"

Blossom gave him a dubious look. "Then why you were reading Rumi during the ski trip? I have his collected works, too." He wasn't about to admit he'd only picked up that anthology because she mentioned it in passing. "Just give this back when you're done with it, preferably before the end of the school year." His heart did a funky stutter upon hearing that. He didn't know if he'd still be in Townsville by June. Blossom ushered Brick out of her room and realized she was still holding onto his cider, surrendering the mug. "Would you boys like to take some leftovers with you?"

"Yes, please!" Butch sat at the kitchen table wearing a cocky grin. "I totally convinced your dad to get a ZR1 Corvette."

"No you didn't," Buttercup refuted. "The Professor doesn't spend money like that."

"Just wait, one day you'll get home from school and instead of that station wagon there'll be somethin' sexy on wheels. And if I see him on the highway I'm gonna race him and make him _eat my dust!_ "

"We'll see about that, kiddo," the Professor said. Butch chuckled and Buttercup's eyes widened in disbelief. "Want to see what the Girls got _me_ for Christmas?" He removed a large box from the closet, Boomer's gasp of awe prompting Butch to investigate.

"You bought your dad a drone?!"

"They sure did. The batteries have been charging all day so I haven't flown it yet. Should we give it a test flight?" His answer was an enthusiastic _yes_. Even Brick looked interested, following the Professor and his brothers outside where excited chatter reached the ears of Blossom and Buttercup as they packed the remnants of their meal.

"This must be some circle of Hell they've yet to discover," the latter muttered. "I don't understand why they're getting along. I don't understand _how_."

"Our father is cool, that's why. And it's like Bubbles said, boys love their toys no matter what age."

"If the Professor buys a Corvette because of Butch, I will literally die."

"Oh, stop it." Blossom nudged her sister. "He deserves to have fun. Maybe the Boys are helping him feel young again."

It _was_ pretty endearing to watch the Professor goof around with them. And the Ruffs never had a father figure in their life, at least none that Buttercup knew about, so it was probably good for them to have a positive male role model. Christmas spirit made her all sentimental and crap.

The four of them came back soon enough since it was still snowing and too dark to see well. Bubbles had woken from her micro nap and floated downstairs, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. The Boys were bundled up and ready to go with leftovers in-hand, and it tugged at Blossom's heartstrings that they appeared sad to be leaving. "Uh, thanks…" Brick said, "you know, for inviting us. Dinner was really good."

"Try delicious," Butch put in.

"Right, and thank you for the hat."

"And scarf," Boomer added.

"And gloves!"

Blossom laughed gently. "You're welcome for everything. Thank you for coming."

"Merry Christmas…" Bubbles had to stifle a yawn. "And happy New Year."

"Don't do anything stupid and get yourselves killed on the way home," Buttercup said.

The Professor nodded. "Right, you boys stay safe."

"Thank you, we will." They lingered for one second, three seconds, five seconds… but they couldn't stay. "Bye."


	10. Is it Love, and do I Need It?

**Chapter Ten: Is it love, and do I need it?**

People were still crowding around Butch and his new car when Boomer finished his fifth day of detention. He was fine with sitting in a classroom for an hour after school since he managed to get most of his homework done, and he mostly ignored the way Joey and Harry glared daggers at him the whole time. He was less fine with the other half of his punishment. Every morning he went to Miss Keane's office where she oversaw a nurse who injected bright red Antidote X into his veins, dulling his senses and subjecting him to the crushing weight of gravity. That was something Boomer never took into account before, how _heavy_ stuff was. Just wearing his backpack made his shoulders ache. He also bruised way too easily as merely being jostled in the halls left him with discolored patches on his arms. And he was cold, and he felt fatigued from being anemic, and everyone kept giving him pitying looks, and basically not having superpowers sucked major dick.

He didn't understand how the Puffs wanted to live like this.

On the minor upside, the Porsche was warm and got them home very quickly. Butch glanced at Boomer while he sat in miserable silence on his phone. "What happened to your hand, Bro?"

"Huh? Oh, someone stepped on it when I dropped my pencil," he answered.

Butch was suspicious. He mentioned it to Brick who said something to Blossom, and the next day she appeared in the detention classroom. "Hey, Blossom," Joey suavely greeted, "what're you doing here?"

"It has come to my attention that the three of you aren't doing very well in algebra, so I'm going to tutor you," she explained. "Finals are at the end of the month and Miss Keane wants you to pass."

Joey smirked. "Bet I could teach _you_ a few things if we engaged in a little one-on-one session."

Blossom gave him the most withering look imaginable, making the other boys snicker, and grabbed a whiteboard pen to write an equation. "You were doing fine until the Cartesian coordinates unit, so we'll begin with that."

A week later Brick was waiting outside the room since he'd stayed late for a council meeting. "Is Boomer okay?" he whispered to Blossom as they trailed the delinquents to the exit. "Joey and Harry aren't messing with him, are they?"

"Not while I'm around," she whispered back. "They're behaving well enough, snide comments aside."

"Good. Thanks for asking Keane if you could study with them. I heard the teacher in charge just falls asleep."

"It's no problem. I won't let anything happen to your brother."

"Thanks," Brick said again, and they went their separate ways.

The end of January took its sweet time coming. In addition to semester finals everyone had to start thinking about which new electives to sign up for. Boomer and Blossom both had three, but the majority were technology-oriented instead of artistic so he had no idea what to pick. "Language is always a good option," she suggested, "and they're the only classes you can study for one or both semesters. I'm taking Spanish for the whole year." She wondered if Brick was too since they had it together. "Are there any languages you're interested in learning, or ones you already know a few words in?"

"Italian, and some Korean from when I was an idol for a hot second." Boomer planted his chin in his hand and sighed, unable to help himself. "What's Bubbles taking?"

"She can't decide between Media Design, Japanese, or Health. Health is required to graduate and most people take it their freshman or senior years since it's easy." He kept that in mind as the clock struck 4:00, freeing him from his last detention session. While packing his things Blossom brushed his arm. "For what it's worth, I never thought you needed to be here. You did the right thing by coming to my sisters' aid." Boomer only half-smiled. It was all over and done with now.

Blossom left first followed by Joey and Harry, the former having relentlessly yet futilely hit on her the whole month. Boomer was last, sighing again. At least he wouldn't have to take any more antidote. "Um, hey…" He raised his head to see Bubbles offering a shy smile from across the hall. "How are you?"

He shrugged. "Good enough, I guess."

She took a few steps closer, her eyes glistening with unshed tears, then she threw her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry!" she cried, "I'm so, so sorry!"

Boomer was completely thrown off. "What're you apologizing for?"

"For yelling at you about hurting Joey and Harry!" He glanced at the retreating football players. "You thought I was being attacked so you came to save me, and I should've…" Bubbles drew in a shuddering breath to calm herself. "I should've known that's how you handle situations like that, where girls are in danger, 'cause you dealt with that kinda stuff when you were a mercenary." So now she was aware of his illicit past. Boomer tensed. "I'm sorry if I made you feel like the bad guy."

"You did," he admitted.

Bubbles sniffled and pulled back to look him in the eye. "But you're not a bad guy, I know that now. Not bad at all. You're actually a hero." Her face flushed even more. "And I really like you, Boomer. Like, as more than a friend. Is that okay?"

A charmingly crooked smile turned his lips. "That's just fine with me."

"Okay. You… don't seem very surprised," she observed.

"Dee Dee told me you had a crush on me back in November."

She gasped. "That brat! I can't believe her! I told her not to tell _anyone_ , especially you!" Bubbles puffed out her cheeks as Boomer laughed a little, then her blush returned in full force when he wrapped his arms around her waist to hold her close. "S-so, what do you wanna do?" Huh, now she was the one stuttering.

"I think we should go out soon." He'd planned on asking her after the choir concert, but then the bullshit with Harry happened.

"But what about Brick? He said you weren't allowed to date, didn't he?"

Boomer held her even tighter at that. "I don't care what he says, I want to be with you. He's my brother, not my boss."

"What if he hurts you?" Bubbles had already seen Brick put his hands on Boomer once, so furious that day before winter break. But she didn't get _why_ he'd been mad or why his brothers couldn't have girlfriends. Maybe Brick just didn't think Boomer should be with _her_ , like she wasn't good enough.

"I'll talk to him, I'll make him understand. He doesn't get what it's like to feel this way about someone." Boomer cupped her face to brush away the rest of her tears with his thumbs. "It'll be fine, I promise. He won't do anything to me." Bubbles smiled at his reassuring tone and they headed for the main entrance, holding hands. In the parking lot he gave her fingers a squeeze. "I'll let you know how it goes. You should probably tell your sisters and the Professor that we're an item now, too."

"Okay, I will." They made heart eyes at one another until Bubbles giggled, blushed, and turned away. She really wanted to kiss him already. Boomer planted one atop her hand instead, jogging over to the awaiting Porsche.

"The fuck was that?" Butch instantly inquired, taking off before his brother had secured his seat belt. "Did you just put your mouth on Bubbles?"

"It's pretty normal to kiss your girlfriend, isn't it?" Boomer returned.

Butch's eyes widened as he released a short bout of maniacal laughter. "Oh-ho man, it's been nice knowin' ya. Brick's gonna _murder_ you. Eviscerate. Lacerate. Incinerate. Cremate." He couldn't think of more big words. "He's gonna kill your ass."

"I don't think so," Boomer said. Still, he was nervous when they arrived at Evergreen Tower and rode the elevator up to their penthouse. Butch hovered above his shoulder like an annoying gnat as he unlocked the door, but for once Brick didn't have his schoolwork spread out on the coffee table. That meant he was in his room, a place his younger siblings hadn't yet dared to venture. Boomer knocked on the door and received a grunt, cracking it open.

"What the fuck do you two want?" Great, he was already in a foul mood.

Butch grinned like a madman. "Boomer's got somethin' to tell ya!"

Brick faced them as Boomer steeled himself. "I'm with Bubbles now and I don't give a shit what you think about it!" he declared.

A few silent seconds ticked by. "So you're seeing someone. Let me get back to work."

His brothers were dumbfounded. "You mean you're not mad?"

"No."

"You're not gonna kill him?" Butch asked with a note of disappointment.

"Of course not."

He barged into the room. "Did you hear what Boomer said?! He's with Bubbles, _Bubbles!_ The Powerpuff Girl! One of the Powerpuff Girls you said we couldn't date!"

Red eyes focused on him with laser intensity. "Are you _also_ trying to start a relationship with one of them, Butch?"

"I didn't say that!"

"And you have a fuck buddy anyway, so it'd be rather inappropriate if you did." Oh yeah, Leigh. She'd been quiet for a while.

Boomer inched closer to the desk where Brick sat. "Why aren't you mad? You punched my wall when I told you I liked Bubbles."

He sighed. "Yes, well, I have no control over who you develop feelings for. In any event, it's going to turn out like all your previous relationships."

Blond eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I mean the infatuation will fade soon enough and Bubbles will become another girl you've hurt, not that she deserves it. That's what I meant by calling you selfish." His brother just gaped so Brick spelled it out for him. "You have a pattern, Boomer. Maybe you haven't realized it but I have. You meet a girl wherever we're staying, you mess around until we leave, and then you never talk to her again. It's just a hormonal attraction you mistake for real love. Am I annoyed that your emotions caused problems for us this time? Yes. Do I wish you'd realize our lifestyle isn't conducive to maintaining relationships? Yes. Am I going to waste more time and energy telling you not to be with someone when it's not going to work out anyway?" He let the question hang in the air as he sat back down.

Boomer stood frozen, reminiscing on his previous flings and realizing that Brick was absolutely correct. They were short-lived, fun-filled, happy-go-lucky teen romances like the kinds they made sappy movies about. He was that mysterious and charming boy passing through town, sweeping up unsuspecting girls on wild adventures and loving them passionately. But this time would be different, and not only because of Bubbles. This time he hadn't just popped into her life only to vanish into the blue, whisked away by his leader on another mission. This time he was going to stay put and refuse to leave. This time, he was home.

* * *

Butch waited in line to grab lunch from the Culinary Arts booth with Mike, who tried convincing him to join the Ultimate Frisbee team for the spring sports season. "Never heard of that. How do you play?"

"It's kind of like soccer and basketball," Mike explained. "There are two teams with seven-ish players, two end zones, and you can pass the disc to anyone but you can't travel with it. There are rules for fouls and turnovers, too. It's also co-ed."

Butch perked up. "Guys _and_ girls?" His friend nodded once. "I dunno…"

Playing his trump card, Mike stood on his tiptoes in an attempt to whisper furtively. "A little bird told me that Buttercup's on the team this year."

"…You don't say."

"Well, Robin says. So what do _you_ say, Butch? At least go to the first practice with me, then you can bail if you think it's lame."

It probably wouldn't be lame with Buttercup there. He'd had loads of fun with her in P.E. even though she took every activity way too seriously due to her competitive nature. Butch was so busy contemplating whether or not he should sign up for Ultimate Frisbee that he didn't notice Leigh approaching until she grabbed his butt, making him flinch. Mike snickered and pretended not to notice. "Hey hot stuff, feel like coming to my place after school?" she asked.

"Sure, I just gotta do a sports thing first." She appeared relieved. "Why haven't I heard from you lately?" Butch wondered.

"I've been busy with my family the last couple months, celebrating Christmas and New Year's and my grandma's birthday and then Chinese New Year…" Leigh slumped. "They're so stress-inducing."

"Say no more, babe." He leaned down to kiss her and she shoved her tongue into his mouth, earning bewildered stares from other people in line. She waved her fingers while striding away. Mike shook his head at the display. "You're just jealous," Butch crowed.

"Not really. Girls like that aren't my type." Butch raised a dubious eyebrow. "I mean assertive girls. That's why I could never bring myself to approach Buttercup. But Robin…" He surveyed her across the cafeteria and sighed longingly. "Robin. Would it be cliché to ask her out on Valentine's Day?"

"Is that the holiday with cards and flowers and chocolate?"

Mike frowned. "Jeez, you really _are_ sheltered. Yes, that's Valentine's Day and some girls get super weird about it so I don't know if I should tell Robin…" He trailed off, brown eyes lowering to his shoes.

"Whatcha got to lose?"

"Our whole lifelong friendship. I'd ruin _everything_ if Robin doesn't like me the way I like her!"

"Never gonna find out till you say somethin'."

"Speak for yourself," Mike muttered, but Butch was too busy ordering food to hear it.

Following sixth period they met in the library where all the spring sports teams had their tables arranged. Susie was the Ultimate Frisbee co-captain that year, happy to see Butch sign his name on her clipboard alongside Mike, Robin, and Buttercup. Butch then offered Mike a ride home since his house was on the way to Leigh's. He noted the absence of her parents' car, the front door opening before he could ring the bell. Leigh grabbed his shirt, yanked him inside, and proceeded to use and abuse him in the nicest way for the next two hours.

They ended up on a daybed in the sunroom, watching the sky grow dark and stormy. Butch's right leg and arm dangled off the side as Leigh lay curled against him, idly tracing his abs. "Was that okay for you?" she questioned.

"Yeah, it felt great."

"You're lying." She propped herself up to better see his face. "You didn't come."

"'Course I did, babe."

"No, you didn't," she refuted, but she didn't seem upset. "You have a tell, you know."

"I do?"

"You grip really hard when you finish. The day after the party, when we first met, I had hand-shaped bruises on my hips." Guilt crossed his countenance. "You didn't do that today. If you're no longer getting anything out of this we should call it quits, otherwise it feels like I'm taking advantage of you."

Butch searched her deep brown eyes. "I _want_ to do this, trust me. You're not using me. I just… can't stop thinkin' 'bout someone else."

Instead of being angry, Leigh smiled. "Bet I can guess who." Of course she knew who, she was clever like that. He still blushed. "So, a Rowdyruff Boy has the hots for Miss Model. Do you guys even talk or is it more of a you-admire-her-from-afar thing because of Joey Finkelmeyer?"

"…That one," Butch mumbled.

"No offense, but why are you friends with him? I don't even follow your junior shenanigans but all of us seniors know about the drama he's been causing. And it all started with Buttercup, right?"

"Yeah. She turned him down for Homecoming."

"So I heard. I was in the band room that day. Wish I'd been there to see her put him in his place." Leigh hummed thoughtfully. "Well, I can't blame you for crushing on Buttercup when she's totally awesome. I guess we should break things off, then." She stood to stretch as Butch sat upright. "It's probably a good thing if I'm no longer distracted by you. I have a four-point-oh to maintain so I can become valedictorian, and I need to get into Juilliard. Can't study if I'm rolling around in bed with you all evening, or on the floor, or against the walls, or the ceiling that one time…" He smirked and Leigh tilted her head, smiling ruefully. "This was fun, Butch. I really do like you. Hanging out, talking… you're a surprisingly good listener."

Well, he had to be. If he didn't pay attention to whoever was in charge, typically Brick, bad things happened. Once he ignored an order to wait to enter a building and took a C-4 explosion to the chest, not to mention the whole structure collapsed on top of him. Worst mission ever. "Yeah, it _was_ fun," Butch agreed. "See you around, Leigh."

* * *

New class schedules became available the next day. Bubbles was thrilled to discover that she now had Japanese IV and Health for fifth and sixth period, the latter of which she shared with Boomer, and he would be taking Media Design and Music Study. Buttercup had the complete opposite reaction upon hearing that Butch moved into her French III class, but she had Media Design with Boomer who was much more tolerable. Instead of Coding first period Blossom now had Programming, a free period for fourth, and CAD for sixth which Brick was glad to discuss since he'd just passed it. They both stayed in Spanish III. He opted to abide Bubbles' suggestion and now had Culinary Arts first period, the class that handled the breakfast crowd, but it wasn't all bad because Mimi had it, too.

The excitement of starting the second half of the school year faded quickly, but then something else came along that had everyone talking. Bubbles' art teacher decided to display her final project in the hallway; a sizable gathering formed around it, earning Brick's, Susie's, and Wes' attention as they exited the council room. "Oh wow…" Susie breathed in awe, "I can't believe this is what Bubbles was working on for the last five months!"

It _was_ pretty impressive. From afar it looked like a giant surrealist portrait due to the mixed media she had used such as colored pencils, markers, watercolors and pastels, but up close one could see that the face was comprised of every individual student currently attending Townsville High. People were thrilled to find themselves, saying how well Bubbles captured their likenesses. A loud gasp drew the eyes of the crowd and everyone turned to see the blue Puff regarding them timidly. The next second they mobbed her, showering her with praise. She was so talented! Her work belonged in a gallery!

Eventually the hype died down and she made it to her locker. "So what gave you the idea for that project?" Wes queried.

"I wanted everyone to view themselves as one person… y'know, 'cause of all the negativity that's been going around," Bubbles replied. "Like, when we work together we can create fantastic things. That's the message I was hoping to convey, anyway."

Boomer arrived, winding an arm around her waist. "I saw your project. I don't know what to say, it's amazing." Bubbles giggled as he nuzzled the top of her head.

"Bleh," Susie grimaced, "I'm going now. Try keeping the PDA to a minimum, you two." Wes left with her and Brick rolled his eyes at the cutesy couple before heading to Culinary.

They goofed around for a few more minutes until leaning against the lockers with their fingers laced. "That portrait is seriously beautiful," Boomer reiterated. "You're the only person who could've done it."

"Why do you say that?" Bubbles asked.

"Because, it's like… you're the one person here who's willing to look past exteriors and see the beauty inside everyone." Ugh, that sounded extra cheesy. "I mean, you're not really judgmental and you give people the benefit of the doubt, and everyone likes you 'cause you're kind and gentle and… yeah." He stopped himself from monologuing about why he was head over heels for her.

She tittered again. "Thanks. You're the sweetest boy ever." Bubbles kissed him on the cheek and went skipping off to first period, leaving Boomer standing there with an idiot grin on his face. What a great start to February.

Very soon the focus of Townsville High's entire student body shifted to Valentine's Day. There would not be a dance much to their collective chagrin, but there would be anonymous flower grams. When the day arrived Boomer presented Bubbles with three roses in white, red, and pink to make up for her first ballet recital. "Ooh, how pretty! Thank you! I got you something, too." He hesitated to accept the ring box. She couldn't be _that_ serious about their relationship already, right? Inside was a simple leather ring engraved with a B that fit snugly on his left thumb. "I got it thinking it'd match that leather bracelet you wear all the time, and I almost did 'BBL' for the initials 'cause of that high score we earned at the arcade," Bubbles explained.

Boomer beamed. "I love it. Thank you." He kissed her hand, eliciting a smile from Blossom as she reached her locker.

Buttercup waited until they wandered off. "You're really okay with Bubbles dating Boomer? They're so… mushy."

"Mhm," Blossom answered plainly. She faltered upon discovering a gift box atop her textbooks.

"But _why?_ " Buttercup pressed. "He's a Rowdyruff. I don't get why you guys are so willing to trust them!" She noticed her sister's reaction, glancing at the present. "What's that?"

"Umm… it appears to be a box of chocolates."

"Duh. Who gave them to you?"

Blossom examined it from all angles. "It doesn't say. There's no card or anything." An assortment of truffles greeted her beneath the lid. They looked gourmet, the kind that must have come from the French patisserie downtown. She could scarcely imagine anyone spending that much money on an entire dozen just for her. "I don't know if I should eat these…"

"You shouldn't, not without knowing who they're from. They might be laced with something." Buttercup glared at Joey walking by.

"Now that's a morbid thought, honestly. Who on earth would _poison_ me? You're so paranoid lately."

"For good reason," Buttercup returned. She had to take a step back from her locker as a torrent of cards tumbled out of it.

Blossom tried not to laugh. "It looks like you have more than a few secret admirers this year."

She knelt to gather them, scowling. The senders weren't secret; most were signed by Mitch or Floyd and there were some from Lloyd and Mike as well, all members of the misfit clique. What the hell were they thinking? Buttercup didn't have time to read that many cards. A strikethrough then caught her attention. Instead of "will you be my Valentine?" the note said "will you be my friend again?" She prepared to stuff the cards in the recycling bin when she gave her locker another glance and spied what suspiciously resembled a mixed CD. It was an archaic practice in the age of digital music, but Mitch always argued in favor of CDs because they had better sound quality.

Buttercup kept turning the jewel case over in her hands. The cover art was a snapshot of the billboard she and the boys defaced when the old mayor passed away and some new idiot tried running against Sara Bellum, who won by a landslide. The tracklist, unsurprisingly, was comprised of songs about friendship. Curiosity got the better of her and she decided to say fuck Algebra class for the time being. "Psst, hey, Boomer." He rotated in his seat. "You're in music study now, right? Can you get me into one of the booths?"

They made the excuse of having to use the restroom and went to the music building where Boomer unlocked an equipment room with credentials ingrained upon his student ID. Buttercup popped the disc into a player and donned a pair of headphones, smiling faintly as Mitch's gravelly voice sang 'You've Got a Friend in Me' along with his guitar and Lloyd's drums, and a few other tracks featured Floyd on keyboard. They recorded an entire cover album just for her. _Maybe_ she had been a little severe in icing them out entirely. Maybe enough time had passed that they were over their dumb crushes on her.

In Chemistry Buttercup left her bag on her stool and plunked down in front of Floyd and Mitch's table, startling them with her unexpected company. "So you want to be friends again, huh? The only way that's gonna work is if you no longer wanna put your dicks in me."

The boys looked at one another, then at her. Mitch spoke first. "Butters, I'm pretty sure you'd murder me with your thighs if we ever got into that kind of position. You're a fucking beefcake compared to me. You'd snap me like a toothpick."

She smirked. "Damn right I would."

"And I'd be lying if I said I never, ever thought about it… But if I had to choose between sleeping with you once or staying friends, I'd always go for the second option."

" _I_ still think you're stunning, of course," Floyd said. "I won't pretend I don't notice you. But if I'm being perfectly honest, Butters… you're not my type."

"You're not a clueless anime chick with big tits," Mitch clarified, and she laughed loudly. "You gotta see his newest waifu, it's a slime girl."

"Don't show her in class!" Floyd flailed as Mitch played keep-away with his phone, cackling all the while. Buttercup smiled; she really had missed these two dorks. As long as they no longer wanted to get in her pants she supposed it was worth a shot to see if things could go back to normal. It would be awesome to be besties with Mitch again after Joey convinced everyone to avoid or deride her. Mitch and Floyd weren't the type to obey jocks like him anyway since they were all about ignoring the social hierarchy. They gladly would've stood in her corner if she hadn't isolated herself from them.

Buttercup decided to work with them on a group project, leaving Butch with two others who nearly started a fire. He had hoped, naïvely, that he'd get closer to Buttercup now that they were on the Ultimate Frisbee team together, but she still barely talked to him unless they were discussing plays or she was calling him a dumbass for missing passes. It frustrated him because her sisters were perfectly pleasant to him and his brothers, but all Butch got from Buttercup was hostility and evident distrust even though he'd gone half a year without causing problems for anyone. What did he have to do to prove himself to her?

He joined his friends at lunch with a metaphorical rain cloud hanging over his head. "Jeez, what's got you so down in the dumps?" Mike asked. "It's the day of looove. Nothing your lady friend can't kiss and make better, right?"

"We agreed to stop hookin' up," Butch said.

Harry was sympathetic. "Sucks, man."

"Pretty impressive that your casual thing lasted so long, though," Pablo remarked.

Butch just grunted, then Joey slid in beside him. "Hey, don't worry about it. We'll get you some new tail. You're a star athlete so you can have any girl you want."

"That's not really how it works, Fink," Mike commented.

Joey waved him off, scanning the cafeteria. "What about Kristen Thomas? Or Kim Lee? Oh I know, you could get with Dee Dee Jones, she's hot."

Mike shot that suggestion down. "Robin told me that Bubbles told her that Dee Dee has a boyfriend who goes to the science academy."

"Robin tells you lots of things, it seems. Have you manned up and asked her out yet?" The boy glanced away and Joey sneered. "Thought not. Let's see, who else is available? Susie, but she's so tiny you'd probably break her. Mary Mack if you don't mind girls with extra cushion. Or how about…" His entire demeanor changed when his eyes landed on Buttercup sitting and laughing with her old friends. He bristled even more when Lloyd joined them, slinging an arm around her shoulders and attempting to mess up her hair before she put him in a headlock. Joey practically turned green with envy, ironic since that was Butch's color, until an idea struck. "Hey… you should ask _Buttercup_ on a date."

Most of the guys looked up at that while Butch merely blinked in confusion. "Who, me?"

"Yeah, you."

"Uhh… why?"

"To fuck with her, why else? It's Valentine's Day." Butch still wasn't sure what he was getting at. "You're not gonna go through with it, obviously. You're going to stand her up."

Mike scowled. "That's so not cool. What if a girl did that to you?"

"I'm not a crazy superpowered bitch, am I?" Joey retorted. "You're the only one who can handle her if she gets violent, Butch."

That was probably true, but Joey seemed to be missing the fact that Buttercup was barely willing to give him the time of day. "She'll never go for it," he said.

"You have to convince her to give you a shot! Just make up stuff about how your friends only see her as a hot piece of ass but you can tell she's also beautiful on the inside or something. Or… oh, I got it! Say you've had a crush on her for a while but you never did anything about it because of me, but now that our beef is done you felt like taking the opportunity to admit your feelings."

Butch couldn't help but wonder if Joey had mind-reading powers of some sort. He flinched when his phone trilled with a text, disrupting the tense moment. It was from Mike. _I know you really do have a crush on Buttercup but you don't want to piss off Fink. So go tell her how you feel, ask her out, and don't stand her up if she agrees. It's that simple. If it works I'll come up with something to throw him off._ Mike even gave Butch a flower to help him seem more sincere. Steeling himself, he approached the table where Buttercup sat.

Lloyd spotted him first and grinned. "Hey, did you come to sit with us cool kids? Scoot over, Little Bro. You know Butch, right?"

"I know _of_ him," Floyd replied, eyeing him suspiciously. "We have chem together." Mitch also appeared wary of Butch's impromptu visit. Neither of them had ever spoken to the Rowdyruff before because they viewed him as Joey's right-hand man. They weren't about to act friendly even if Lloyd vouched for him.

Butch swallowed his nerves and held the pink carnation out to Buttercup. "What's this for? One of those stupid flower grams?" she asked.

"No, it's… I… There's something I wanna tell you." The other three boys exchanged an "oh shit" look. "I was hopin' you'd go out with me sometime, like on a date."

Buttercup gave him a prolonged stare before scoffing and shaking her head. "Wow. What part of 'I hate your guts' do you not get, Butch?"

"Why do you hate me?"

"Because you're a Rowdyruff Boy."

His dark eyebrows knitted. "That's kinda bullshit, y'know. I haven't done anything bad since I got here. Have I ever given you a reason to actually hate me?"

She rolled her eyes but didn't answer in the affirmative. "I still don't like you and I'm not going out with you." That seemed to be enough to send him away, but he spun around and came back. Butch knelt on the floor so they'd be at eye level, then he brazenly took up her hands between his own.

"I'm serious, okay? I like you and I wanna go out with you. Or just hang with you, whatever. You're a badass, you're sexy as hell, and all I've wanted since the first day we met was to fight you again. A _real_ fight with your powers active. I wanna see how strong you've become. And I…" Butch let her go as if he had touched a hot coal. "I might be the only person here who actually _gets_ you."

What did he mean by that? Instead of asking Buttercup deflected. "Awfully pretentious of you to say that. You don't know a damn thing about me." But she was in a generous mood today. "Fine, I'll go on a stupid date with you. When and where?"

Butch hadn't thought that far ahead. "How 'bout this weekend at the… entertainment complex? At noon?" She hummed in acceptance, blowing out a breath once he left.

Mitch and the twins gawked at her. "Did you seriously just agree to go out with _Butch_ for your first real date?"

"Yep."

"What if he _kisses_ you? Then he'll be your first kiss, too!"

"That's definitely not gonna happen. My expectations are set to zero, you guys. I'll be amazed if he even shows up. I'm sure this is just some dumb plan of Joey's to hurt my feelings." But it took way more than using Butch against her to accomplish that, especially since she'd reconciled with her friends. Now that they were back in her life she could slowly, _slowly_ start releasing some of the emotions she'd kept contained, mostly rage, in the form of beating Mitch and Floyd at video games or sparring with Lloyd since he made sporadic appearances at Duke's. In the event Butch _did_ show up and their date proceeded as planned… she'd have to ask the guys what to do because she had no idea. Buttercup had entered uncharted territory but at least she now had a trio of wingmen to help her navigate it.

* * *

Instead of an actual Spanish lesson the teacher decided to share the joy of her crafting hobby with her students. Brick and Blossom pushed their desks together to make flowers out of tissue paper, pipe cleaners, and floral tape as their peers worked on a festive spring wreath. "How are your chocolates?" Brick queried out of the blue.

"Hm?" Blossom followed his gaze to the box in her tote. "Oh, I'm not sure. I haven't tried one yet."

"Why not?"

"I don't know who they're from. They didn't come with a card or note." One of his eyebrows quirked in amusement. "I shouldn't accept candy from strangers."

"Clearly they're from someone who knows you fairly well," Brick stated.

"How do you figure?"

"The box is purple with gold ribbon, your favorite color combination. And they knew the combo to your locker."

Those were two observations Blossom hadn't made. She placed the box on her desk and lifted the lid, sighing. "They _are_ tempting. But Buttercup said they could be laced with something."

"They're not."

"How do _you_ know?"

He rolled his eyes. "Because _I_ made them, Blossom, and if I wanted to poison you I wouldn't do it with chocolate. That would be a waste of good ingredients."

"Oh." For some reason this took a minute to compute. "You made these? For me?" Brick regarded her passively. "But they look so… professional."

"Thank you. Now if you don't try one, you'll damage my ego." He watched her like a hawk while she selected a cordial cherry, tentatively biting it in half. Blossom sat stone-faced as she let it melt in her mouth. "You don't like it?" he guessed.

"I do. It's… Brick, I feel like I just committed a sin by eating this." A self-satisfied smirk turned his lips. She ate the other half, nearly moaning. "I can't believe _you_ made these."

"You're welcome."

"Thank you," she said belatedly, cheeks flushed. Bubbles was the chocolate fiend among the Puffs but Blossom was definitely going to finish off the whole assortment by bedtime without sharing a single one. The next truffle she tried was white chocolate filled with strawberry mousse. "I see you received plenty of flower grams today," she observed.

"Just a few." He had in fact been carrying around fifteen long-stemmed red roses.

Now it was Blossom's turn to roll her eyes. Brick's habit of understating everything was really odd, like the opposite of boasting despite referring to himself as a god among humankind. "Did Boomer inform you that he's taking Bubbles out to the fanciest restaurant in town tonight?"

"Yes…"

"Are you actually okay with them being together? When Bubbles told the Professor he was happy to hear it." Buttercup's reaction had been stomping off to her room and slamming the door after calling her sister an airhead.

Brick spread his hands in defeat. "I can't control who Boomer falls for. It's just… Bubbles is popular, generous, and ambitious. She's too good for him."

"That's harsh to say of your own brother," Blossom chided.

"But it's true. He's only going to…" How could he word it without revealing anything? "It won't last, it never does. He's just going to end up hurting her." Most likely Boomer would break her heart if they got serious before the Ruffs left Townsville, which would be later than Brick originally planned due to one financier proving difficult to reach. That was the reason for his bad mood at the end of January.

Blossom mulled it over. "Are you calling Boomer fickle?" Sure, he'd roll with that. "He is _your_ brother and you know him better than me, but I think he's quite smitten with Bubbles."

"It's nothing more than hormones and chemicals. Dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, norepinephrine. There's phenylethylamine in chocolate, too."

"Mm, I see…" Blossom offered a sly grin. "So you're trying to seduce me with these handcrafted truffles?"

"Of course not!" She laughed at Brick's flustered expression. He was too easy. "I just wanted to give you something in return for this hat!" Which he'd been wearing five days out of the week since it was so warm.

"Brick, that was a _present_. You don't owe me for it."

His eyes narrowed. "Nobody gives away anything without expecting something in return."

"Yes they do, it's called being selfless." She sat primly. "I will accept this candy as your expression of Valentine's Day spirit, not as recompense for the hat."

"Well that's what I made them for, so we're even," Brick said. "I don't like being in debt to anyone."

"It wasn't a debt you needed to repay, it was a _gift_." Blossom placed a completed flower on his desk. "Look, I'm giving you another one."

"Then you can have this rose."

"No, Brick, it's something for nothing."

"There's no such thing," he asserted. "People get taken advantage of by doing that."

"But I know you won't take advantage of me. You've made fewer flowers so I want you to have mine." Blossom pushed them over.

Brick frowned. "But now you have none."

"That's fine, I can make more." She grabbed a handful of colorful paper squares. "The point of giving a gift is that you want to make someone happy. Everyone who sent you roses today wanted you to know that your happiness matters to them." Blossom pursed her lips. "You act like you don't abide by this concept but you've been doing it since you got here. The Homecoming dance, the ski trip, these flower grams… Selflessness was an inherent requirement of running for student council president. Your job is to make everyone in our grade happy."

Brick said nothing for a while. "What about you? Have you had fun doing the activities I planned this year?"

"Of course I have," Blossom answered. "I wouldn't participate if they struck me as boring or frivolous."

"Then I'm not being selfless." A smile she almost described as bashful appeared on his face. "I did those things to pay you back for becoming my friend."


	11. A Fight You'll Never Win

**Chapter Eleven: Put your fists into a fight you'll never win**

Buttercup stared at her closet for an eon. What were girls supposed to wear on dates? It wasn't like she cared about impressing Butch on the off chance he showed up. Asking her out was nothing more than a joke, but it'd be on him and his stupid friends after she spent the day having fun by herself, or maybe one of the guys would come hang with her. Not like they did anything on the weekends besides play video games, watch movies, or practice some song Mitch had written. Bubbles poked her head into the bathroom as Buttercup did her makeup. "Omigosh, that dress is _amazing_. Where'd you get it? Please don't say Paris!"

"Paris," Buttercup answered.

"No fair! Can I borrow it sometime?"

"We haven't been the same size since age twelve," she pointed out.

"Then I'm gonna find one like it so we can match!" Bubbles tilted her head. "What're you getting fancy for, anyway?"

"Date."

"A… date? Like a possible relationship with a boy kinda date?" Buttercup grimaced at her wording. "Who're you seeing? Is it Lloyd?"

She snorted. "Why would you assume that?"

"Because he's your type, I think, if you even have one… If it's not him then who?"

"Not telling." She studied her reflection, judging herself good to go.

"You _gotta_ tell me! This is your first date ever, isn't it? Who's the lucky guy?" Bubbles shadowed her while she grabbed her jacket and wallet from her room. "Buttercup, c'mon! Who is it? Who're you seeing?!"

"I'm not telling," she repeated. It didn't matter anyway since he wouldn't be there. She tossed Bubbles a wave and flew out the front door.

Townsville's entertainment center consisted of a movie theater, an arcade, a rotating selection of food trucks, a row of carnival games, and some stores catering to nerdy interests. Buttercup landed at the edge the main plaza to survey its patrons, genuinely stunned when her eyes landed on Butch. She almost didn't recognize him because he wore dark jeans and a jacket instead of his usual sweats and hoodie combo. He looked nice when he wasn't dressed like a gym rat, almost handsome. The clacking of her heels earned his attention. Butch's jaw dropped and Buttercup couldn't help but smirk. "Hey," she greeted, "I didn't think you'd actually show."

"Wasn't sure you would, either," he replied, examining her thrice-over. "You look really pretty." He'd seen her in a dress before, at Homecoming, but this one was an iridescent rainbow mini paired with her black leather jacket and tall black gladiator sandals. And her undercut was back meaning Butch hardly knew what to do with himself. He could stand there admiring her all day.

"Thanks." Buttercup gave their surroundings a cursory sweep. "So what'd you have planned for this date of ours?"

"Uh… whatever you want?"

"Okay then. Boomer tells me you're really good at my favorite fighting game. Let's find a machine so I can kick your ass." Butch dutifully followed her into the arcade wing, but despite a bunch of mutual shit-talking their match ended in a draw. After that they tried a co-op shooter, surviving ten rounds before being overrun by an alien horde. Buttercup winced and rubbed the back of her neck. "Ooh, my shoulders hurt…" He flashed an expression of concern. "From carrying you the entire time."

Butch cracked a grin. They played some VR games, racing games, a couple more shooters and fighters, then wasted the rest of their tokens trying to win a GoPro. "Lame. I swear these things're rigged." Like he couldn't just buy one. He checked the time; an hour had already flown by. "Wanna see a movie?" Buttercup hummed in agreement. It was an action flick containing copious amounts of car chases and a plot about overthrowing patriarchal oppressors, jiving with both of them. As they exited the theater Butch's stomach growled loudly so Buttercup suggested they eat something other than popcorn. "What do you like?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Mexican, Indian, Thai… I don't care as long as it's spicy."

They ordered from a food truck that smelled like it utilized plenty of hot peppers and sat beneath a covered table. "Sooo…" Butch drawled after a few minutes, "you havin' an okay time?"

"I'm still here, aren't I?" He took her snarky response in stride. Buttercup then squinted like she was trying to see through him. "What do you even like about me, really?"

"Everything," he replied without hesitation.

She rolled her eyes. If he couldn't give specifics then he wasn't serious, as expected. "What's the deal with your tattoos?" she queried next. Butch stopped chewing. "I saw them back in August, remember? Do they mean anything?"

He grew rather solemn, taking time to find the right explanation. "I get one after every mission, reminders that I lived to fight another day. I go to a guy in Japan. They're traditional tebori-style, done by hand with a steel needle. Hurts like a bitch but I don't really care. I've felt way worse."

"So they're like your battle scars?" Buttercup flexed her fingers. "Since we're basically the same you must've noticed you don't scar. Chemical X heals them good as new. It kinda sucks 'cause there were some battles I wanted to commemorate." Butch gave her an intrigued look that she missed. "Anyway, that's pretty neat."

"So is you bein' a model. You gonna stick with it after you graduate?"

"I suppose. My sisters already know which colleges they want to apply to. I have no clue what I'd even study. Bubbles is going to do something artistic and Blossom has her technology, but I'm just trying to survive high school." Which the guys Butch chose to associate with hadn't made any easier. "So yeah, I guess I'll keep modeling until I decide to do something else." Ugh, she sucked at small talk. Did people really do this on dates?

"Cool, cool…" Butch sipped his drink, scanning for other activities. He spotted something in the carnival games prize booth he just _had_ to get for Buttercup. "Let's check out that stuff," he said, and they wandered down the row of shooting galleries, ring tosses, and balloon darts. The prize he wanted required 1000 tickets but earning them proved easy thanks to his exceptional aim. Buttercup played skee ball while he cashed them in, returning with his arms behind his back. "Close your eyes and hold out your hands."

She hesitantly obliged, opening them to a dragon plushie wearing the stupidest toothy grin. "Wow, thanks a lot," she laughed. Stuffed animals were Bubbles' thing, not hers, but she tucked it under her arm anyway as they moved along the row. Butch didn't say anything for a long while, making her wonder if she'd hurt his feelings by sounding sarcastic. It was a silly toy, sure, but she wasn't going to throw it away. Or did he expect one, too?

"I'm gonna get a funnel cake," he announced. Buttercup took the opportunity to whip out her phone and start a group chat.

 _Guys, Butch stopped talking. It's been like ten minutes. He got me a toy and I laughed and he hasn't said anything since! What should I do?_

Mitch replied: _Whoa, I can't believe you've been with him for three and a half hours! How's it?_

 _Not horrible, I guess. But he's paid for everything. Do I have to pay him back?_

 _No. The person who does the asking-out assumes financial responsibility for all date-related expenses._

Floyd replied: _Mitch is right even though he hasn't gone out with anyone since freshman year._

 _I'm on hiatus, okay? The rules haven't changed._

 _But I don't know what to say to him, you guys. The awkward silence is weirding me out._

 _Bring up his car,_ Floyd said. _He loves his car, right?_ That wasn't a bad idea.

Lloyd replied: _I'm glad to hear you're all good, Buttercup, but there's something involving Butch you should probably know about. Ask him what almost happened to you at Princess' Halloween party._

 _What happened besides you getting shitfaced?_ Mitch asked.

 _Not my explanation to give._

Buttercup stowed her phone when Butch returned. "Want some?" he offered. His confection was decorated with powdered sugar, chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and strawberries.

"That looks like diabetes on a plate," she remarked, eliciting a chuckle. "Thanks but I'm good." They walked slowly while he ate and she contemplated Lloyd's suggestion. At the end of the aisle she blurted it out. "What almost happened to me at the Halloween party Princess threw?"

Butch simultaneously regarded her in slight horror while failing to swallow the bite he'd just taken. Buttercup waited for him to recover. His face was red when he straightened but it wasn't because he'd almost choked on funnel cake. "How do you know 'bout that? Who told ya?"

"Does it matter?" She crossed her arms, suspicious. "What happened at the party?"

Well, there went his appetite. Butch tossed the plate, shoving his hands into his jean pockets and staring at the ground. "Joey told me to slip you some molly."

"Molly? What the fuck is that?"

"A drug. Ecstasy."

"He told you to _drug_ me?" Buttercup couldn't believe what she was hearing… but then again Joey would probably stoop even lower. "But I only saw you for a second and you didn't give me anything. Why'd you disobey him?"

Butch shrugged. "I didn't wanna help ruin your rep."

"So what'd you do with it?"

"Took it myself, then I met Leigh. I was with her the rest of the night." She said nothing while processing this information. Ten seconds turned into thirty turned into a minute. "Buttercup…" His voice was low, anxious. "Are you mad at me?"

What the hell did he expect her to say? _"No, I'm not mad! Thanks for not drugging me instead of getting me molested or raped. Let's be pals now!"_ If anything she was conflicted. Butch may have thwarted the drug attempt but he still remained complicit in Joey's treatment of her. Yet if he really was such a loyal dog, why had he met her today? Was this a new tactic, an effort to lull her into a false sense of security, as if Buttercup would believe he'd become a good guy like her sisters considered Brick and Boomer to be? No, it took much more than a couple instances of acting like a decent human being to earn her trust, especially after everything she'd dealt with so far.

Buttercup squared her shoulders and met his gaze. "You prevented me from being taken advantage of at that god-awful party, so thanks for that. But whatever _this_ is, this nice guy act, it won't work. I'm not going to let you hurt me."

His countenance dimmed. "I'm not tryin' to—"

"Yes you _are_ ," she insisted, "you've been doing it since Homecoming 'cause that's what Joey wants! He told you to ask me out, didn't he? He told you to stand me up, right?" Butch opened his mouth but then closed it, at a loss for words. Attempting to get closer to Buttercup had only succeeded in pushing her further away. She didn't trust him, and why should she when he was best friends with the guy tormenting her? She stepped backwards away from him. "We've played all the games worth playing. I'm going home."

Bubbles was on her as soon as she opened the front door. "You're back!" she cheered. "How was it? Where'd you go? What'd you do? Who'd you see?"

"Fine, the entertainment complex, played games, saw a movie." Buttercup made a beeline for her room, annoyed that Blossom trailed her as well.

"Why won't you tell us who you went out with? Are you embarrassed?"

"Hell no. It's none of your business," Buttercup said.

"We just wanna know who was worthy of being your first real date!"

She rounded on them. "It was Butch, okay?! I went out with Butch!" They both gaped. "I thought he wouldn't be there but he was, and it meant nothing. He was just…" She sighed deeply, emotionally drained. He'd just been messing with her on Joey's behalf, as usual.

Blossom recovered first. "Well, I hope you at least had _some_ fun."

"That's a really cute plushie," Bubbles added, then they left her alone.

Buttercup groaned and flopped onto her bed, scrutinizing the dragon with its stupid smile. Why did Butch get it for her? Did he liken her to a reptile, too? Biting, snappy, tough exterior, cold-blooded, terrible at showing affection… She set it beside the stuffed alligator she'd had since childhood. One green, one black. Their colors.

* * *

Mike closed his locker and turned around to head to first period, nearly leaping out of his skin when he found Butch standing directly behind him. "Jesus Christ on a bicycle, I didn't even hear you! Why are you giving me a heart attack this early in the morning?" He put a hand on his chest.

"I need your help," Butch stated. "I don't wanna be Joey's friend any more. I need to get away from him."

"Why are you telling _me?_ "

"You wanna leave too, right? Aren't you sick of his bullshit? You're always speakin' out against him."

Mike glanced up and down the hall before motioning for him to follow. They ducked into a classroom that wouldn't be occupied until second period. "I have to be honest with you, Butch. The reason why I hang with the jocks is so they don't pick on me. I'm small, and weak, and I'm not great at reading and writing 'cause I have dyslexia so some of my grades suck. It's been working for me since junior high." He gestured to Butch. "You're one of them by nature, and you're a _superhuman_. They couldn't hurt you if they tried."

"I get that, really, and I'll protect you if you bail with me but I can't do it alone. I don't know how." Butch nervously shifted his weight. "I took your advice and went on a real date with Buttercup." Not that it had ended well.

"Oh…" Mike covered his mouth. "Dude, I didn't think you'd actually _listen_ to me! Fink's going to be _livid!_ He sees Buttercup as _his_ conquest and muscling in on her is the greatest betrayal!" He groaned. "But I said I'd have your back, didn't I? There has to be a way to spin this so it won't seem like you're trying to ditch him. He'd never just let you go, he's too reliant on you. Fink depends on you to get your hands dirty so he doesn't have to."

"Yeah, well, I'm done lettin' him use me. And I want him to leave Buttercup alone, too."

Mike hummed. "That won't be easy, he's completely obsessed with her." But then a gear clicked and an idea began turning in his mind. "Hang on, she's the key to everything. Fink's revenge quest started because Buttercup emasculated him in front of the whole cafeteria." He regarded Butch appraisingly. "How fragile are you? Would it hurt your pride if you got your ass kicked by a girl?"

"Are you sayin' I should fight Buttercup?" Butch deduced.

"And lose to her in front of Fink." Mike's smile faded. "This plan hinges on getting her to agree. She's not dumb, she won't do anything that'll draw the school board's attention again like what happened with Princess. But Robin tells me she has a looot of pent-up aggression. Maybe you can, like, gently provoke her?"

Butch knew exactly which buttons to press.

Buttercup stormed out of Chemistry as Mitch and Floyd chased after her, making a point not to touch her since she was still damp and partially undressed. An allegedly accidental spill of Schweizer's reagent had reduced her shirt to goop, almost getting her bra as well before she made it to the emergency shower in the lab. Now her jeans were wet and chaffing, her hair was a mess, makeup ruined, and it wasn't exactly the right weather for wearing a cropped hoodie with no layer beneath it. To make matters worse people instantly started whispering in the lunchroom meaning Miss Keane would call her to the office soon to say she'd violated the dress code, as if she _wanted_ everyone gawking at her midsection. That tunic had been one of her favorites, too.

Butch sat and waited for Joey to arrive. The guys who were talking about how hot Buttercup was clamped their mouths shut when he appeared with his off-campus meal of the day, situating himself opposite Butch instead of beside him. He didn't have to wonder how Joey knew he hadn't stood up Buttercup since he had connections all over Townsville; it wasn't a stretch to assume he was acquainted with one or more of the teenage workers at the entertainment complex. "So how was your weekend, buddy?" Joey inquired, his clenched jaw belying his nonchalant tone. "Do anything fun?"

"Guess you could say that," Butch replied just as casually.

"Care to elaborate?"

"Nah."

His eyes narrowed. "Oh, c'mon. Tell me how great a time you had with Buttercup, I'm _dying_ to know."

"You went out with her?" a sophomore baseball player asked. "But Joey, didn't you tell him to—"

"To not show because he was supposed to be fucking with her? _Did_ I say that? I can't remember. Guess I say a lot of shit that goes in one of his ears and right out the other 'cause he's spacing out all the fucking time." Butch rested his chin in his hand, unfazed. "Why didn't you listen to me, man? I gotta tell you, it kinda seems like you took advantage of that situation to make a move on Buttercup. You don't have a thing for her, do you?"

"The only thing I got for her is eight inches long and in my pants," he returned.

Once Joey laughed it was okay for the other guys to do so. "You little shit. You had me going there for a sec." He shook his head at Butch's audacity. "So you _were_ just messing with her, then? Playing nice so she'd let her guard down or something?"

"I hoped the date would get me in but she saw right through me. Now I got another idea to knock her down a few pegs. Just watch." Butch swaggered up behind the Puff, reaching past her shoulder to tilt her juice bottle and empty its contents all over the front of her coat. Buttercup sputtered, swiped at her mouth, and gave him a glare hot enough to melt steel.

"What the fuck, asshole? What was that for?"

"Looks like you're all wet again," he leered. "Better take off that hoodie."

She stood to grab his collar, yanking him down to her eye level. "I _knew_ you threw that shit on me on purpose, you fucking creep. You owe me for that shirt!"

Butch's attention fell to her chest. "Show me those tits you got under there and I'll give you enough cash to buy the whole store, babe." Nearby students boggled at the fat money clip he waved in her face. "How 'bout it?"

Buttercup wasn't positive what happened next since she experienced the opposite of a blackout, white-hot rage blurring her vision instead, but when she came to her senses Lloyd, Mitch, and Floyd were all pulling her off Butch. He lay on the ground with a bleeding gash across his lower lip, laughing. She wanted to hit him again just for making that noise and lunged forward, her friends struggling to hold her back. "Cool your jets, Butters! He's not worth it!"

"Seriously, do you want to get suspended for fighting?!"

"I don't care!" she shrieked, clawing at whoever's arms were around her waist. "Let me go so I can _kill him!_ "

Butch watched her try fighting them off with a shit-eating grin on his face, his chiming phone ruining the moment. Mike's text read: _I said GENTLY provoke her, not make her want to murder you!_ Guess that was his cue to return.

Joey glanced between Butch and Buttercup, now pacified, and let out a short laugh. "What'd you say to her? I've _never_ seen her that pissed off before."

"Told her I'd give her money for takin' off her hoodie. She's just wearin' a bra under it."

"How do you know? Wait, did you do something in third period?" His head bobbed once, then Joey frowned. "So what's the plan?"

"You'll find out soon," Butch cryptically replied.

Buttercup sat behind him in French class burning a hole in his back until their teacher had everyone choose partners to converse. She practically teleported to him, scaring away a few other interested students with nothing more than the glint in her eyes. It had the opposite effect on Butch, thrilling him. He couldn't wait to find out how much stronger she'd gotten since childhood. "Nice shirt," he commented.

"Thanks, it's Mitch's." His brow furrowed minutely and her lips quirked. "Jealous?"

"I liked the view before. This isn't so bad either, I guess." It was a snug fit. She had the upper buttons undone, revealing a hint of cleavage he unabashedly ogled.

"I could gouge your fucking eyes out right now, Butch."

"Oh yeah?" Their conspiratorial whispering and the prospect of violence made him even more excited. "What else do you wanna do to me?"

Buttercup didn't have to think twice about it. "I want to be the one who permanently scars you. You won't need any more tattoos after what I do to you."

He bit his lower lip to suppress a manic smile. "Wanna get outta here?"

"Sure."

Fuck, she wasn't supposed to say yes. "Uhh… where do you wanna go?"

"Anywhere they'll be able to find your corpse." Buttercup examined her nails, imagining them tearing him to pieces. "Not sure if your brothers will be able to identify you, though."

Butch chuckled. "You really are crazy, huh? You wouldn't kill me."

"Why wouldn't I?" The fact that she said this without any emotion whatsoever gave him pause for thought. "You think the world cares if a Rowdyruff Boy ends up in the dirt? I know you guys have made enemies doing what you do. Bet they'd love to hear they only have to worry about two from now on. Maybe they'd even reward me for taking you out."

He stared at her for a few seconds. "You're not serious. You _can't_ kill me."

"Yes I can," Buttercup asserted, "I can kill anyone. I can destroy anything. It's what I was made for. But you know why I haven't simply beat the shit out of Joey? He's not worth it, he'd break too easily. But you're made of the same stuff as me. I'm done dealing with you and your friends' bullshit so name the time and place, right now. This is your one chance to fight me."

The words coming out of her mouth made Butch so giddy that it took him a couple minutes to form a coherent response. "Next Friday, Duke's, six o'clock. You 'n me, five rounds."

Buttercup clasped his hand to shake on it. "You won't last that long. Better make it three."

* * *

Both of them had the good sense not to tell their siblings what was occurring that weekend. Buttercup was already at Duke's when Butch arrived, standing near the row of lockers in dark violet shorts and a padded bra. She smirked as he approached. "You brought your own cheerleaders? How cute."

Joey, Harry, Mike, and a few other unimportant guys were in tow. "Speak for yourself, bitch. What're _they_ doing here?" Joey jerked his chin at Mitch and Floyd, scowling at Lloyd specifically. Traitor.

"Buttercup is our friend and we're here to support her," Floyd answered simply.

"And we also wanted to watch her beat the shit outta Butch," Mitch added.

Joey sneered. "The only thing you're going to watch is Buttercup getting put in her place."

She planted her hands on her hips and offered him a smile full of teeth. "Sure, and you're sending Butch against me 'cause you're too big of a pussy to face me yourself, unless you'd like to switch with him. What do you say, Rat Fink? Wanna be my warm-up?"

He prepared to fire off a retort but a booming male voice drowned it out. "Leave them alone, B. These guys got nothin' on you." The older owner made snap judgments of Butch and his entourage, scrutinizing him. "I shoulda known you were a super based on the way you waltzed in here with that attitude the first time. Gotta say I ain't keen on letting you destroy my gym with your abilities."

"No worries, Duke. That's why I brought these." Buttercup reached into her bag for two syringes filled with Antidote X.

Butch instinctively backed away. "Hey, hang on a sec, I didn't agree to that…"

"Just take it, man," Joey urged. "You don't need your powers to beat her."

Buttercup dosed herself and then regarded Butch slyly. "This is the only way I'm fighting you. I don't want to risk demolishing Townsville or seeing bystanders get hurt. Give me your arm." He proffered it, cringing as she injected a vein with practiced ease. In moments he could feel his strength ebbing away, making him shudder. Butch was good at repressing his power in order to play sports like a normal person, but the sensation of no longer having access to it at all was extremely off-putting. He felt feeble, the weight of his shirt even getting to him. He hastily removed it.

"Alright, now that that's taken care of there are a few rules to go over." Duke focused on Butch since Buttercup already knew the drill. "First, you gotta take out those piercings. You'll wear a mouthguard, instep guards and gloves, and you'll have five minutes per round to either KO your opponent or get them to submit. If you can't escape a hold, tap out before you pass out. I see too much blood or a possible concussion, I stop the fight. No biting, crotch shots, fingers in orifices, rabbit punches, or knees and elbows to the face. And you boys watching better keep your hands outside the fence. Okay?" He received nods from everyone assembled. "Okay. Go on in."

Buttercup appeared totally relaxed as she went to the far side of the octagon, stretching her arms like she was about to engage in a mild workout. Butch was not as calm, trepidation brewing in his stomach. Suddenly this didn't seem like such a good idea. The point was to lose to her, not get his shit wrecked, yet when Duke blew the whistle and she strutted toward him as if the MMA ring were a catwalk, Butch realized he was in way over his head.

She was agile, he'd already seen that in P.E., but she seemed a lot faster now as she dodged his right cross and countered with a left to his jaw, sending him sideways. He shook his head, already seeing stars, drawing his fists up to protect his face. Buttercup wore a little smile behind her own, faking him out with a few jabs. "Come on, Butch, get her!" someone shouted. Like an idiot he listened, acting without thinking only to end up being taken down and maneuvered into an armbar. He swore he could feel ligaments straining, like one little jerk would rip his limb clean off. He flailed with his other hand, hitting Buttercup's hip joint and loosening her legs on reflex. After they both returned to their feet Butch rolled his shoulders and blew out a breath. He had almost no sense of his own capabilities without Chemical X.

Buttercup waited for openings instead of pressing the offense, utilizing three-hit combos embedded into her muscle memory. She lashed out and recoiled like a serpent, taking advantage of every dumb mistake he made. He tried to grab her, had a grip on her for a second, but she slipped away and brought him down again. She put him in a chokehold from behind, her legs pinning his lower half to the mat as her vice-like arm gradually cut off his air supply. Butch tapped it twice when he felt his face turning purple and Duke blew the whistle.

Joey smacked the barrier. "Come on, man! You're bigger than her! You're _stronger_ than her! Stop screwing around!"

Butch tried using the more aggressive aspects of his disciplines in the next round but Buttercup was just as skilled, probably more so since she hadn't slacked off a day in her life. She was an angry girl, always had been, so once the supply of genetic abominations dried up her family suggested she find an appropriate outlet before unleashing her rage on innocent civilians. Duke was the only gym owner who didn't tell her she couldn't train with him for being a pissed off ten year-old. He was a good mentor, strict yet fair, with salt-and-pepper hair and crinkled denim eyes that had seen some shit during his military service. After Buttercup's first year he sent her to study taekwondo with a master in Seoul. Then he sent her to Rio for jiu-jitsu, and before freshman year she had undergone Muay Thai training in its motherland. It was like summer camp for kicking ass and learning to transform all that anger into usable power in the event Chemical X ever failed her.

Or in case she got fed up with Joey and his gang of fuckboys. His taunting grew incessant so she abandoned her attack against Butch to whirl around and launch herself at the fence, nearly delivering a sliding kick to his face through the chain link. Joey spat something, then crowed as Butch enveloped her in a bear hug and dragged her back toward the middle of the ring. Buttercup wound an ankle around his leg to trip him, knocking them both over, then straddled his waist and struck one, two, three times before he shoved her off. There was a cut above his eyebrow, a thin stream of blood trickling into the arch and dripping onto the canvas as they circled one another.

As she rushed him Butch used a judo takedown on her, one of her legs trapped beneath his torso and the other hooked over his shoulder in a useless but not uncomfortable split. He couldn't withhold the thought that formed. "Y'know, Buttercup… there's somethin' else I'd rather be doin' in this position."

"Me too," she agreed, and decked his temple.

There were only a couple minutes left, both combatants bruised and sweaty. Without a doubt Butch had suffered more blows and it showed in his sluggish movements, not as alert after getting punched in the dome multiple times. Buttercup came within range, goaded him into delivering a straight kick, caught his leg and elbowed his knee before letting him limp. The next second Butch felt himself on the receiving end of a roundhouse, her whole body weight behind her shin as it connected with the right side of his head. The impact was such that he would've lost teeth despite the mouthguard if not for his enhanced physiology. He hit the floor in a daze, vaguely aware of several guys yelling at him to stand, he couldn't lose to her _again_ , he was a Rowdyruff Boy for fuck's sake and she was just a _girl_. The whistle sounded distant as his eyes fluttered shut.

Joey had a white-knuckle grasp on the fence. "No, Butch, get up! Get up and finish her off! You can do it, come on!" Buttercup merely went over to her friends to receive their praises while Duke knelt beside him.

"Your friend's done, kid," the man relayed, "he's out cold. A kick like that woulda rearranged my face."

"This is fucking bullshit! You're taking her side!"

Duke sighed. "If you think you can do better, feel free to get in here yourself." Joey fumed at the suggestion. "Otherwise quit your whining and go home."

No, no, _no_. This wasn't over yet. Joey stalked Buttercup to her bag where she grabbed a water bottle, holding up a finger to prevent him from speaking until she'd been adequately hydrated. "What do you want now, Finkelmeyer? You about to bitch and moan and tell me I cheated? You saw the fight with your own eyes."

And Butch had lost. He'd lost pretty damn badly if his dead weight across Harry's shoulders was any indication. "How long does that antidote shit take to wear off?" Joey wanted to know.

"The dose was for an hour."

And it'd only taken her about twelve minutes to KO Butch. That made him even madder when he realized she planned to win before setting foot in the octagon, radiating confidence. "So there's still some time left, huh? What if I wanted to take a crack at you, but not here? I don't have the gear."

Buttercup viewed him sidelong. "You realize there's etiquette involved in matches that prevents people from getting fucked up, right? If you wanted to take things outside those rules would no longer apply."

Joey ignored the warning, a malicious smile curving his lips. "That's fine with me."

"Alright then. Lead the way." They didn't go very far since Duke's gym was already situated on the edge of the metro. Joey and the Floyjoydson twins left their cars in the parking lot as everyone wandered out to a grassy meadow, a wise choice; turf was softer than asphalt. Buttercup now wore a tank top and shoes but no gloves. She hadn't hit anything with her bare knuckles in a long time, flexing her hands while Joey shrugged off his jacket and tossed it to a minion. "You really wanna do this, Finkelmeyer? We could agree to end everything right now, just ignore each other from now on. I'm getting pretty tired of putting you guys in your place."

He exuded a scornful chuckle. "Y'know, I might've said yes if you ditched the attitude. Where _is_ our place, huh? Where's my place supposed to be? Beneath you 'cause you're a superhuman who's better than us in every single way?"

"I don't believe I'm better than anyone else," Buttercup said.

Joey glowered at that. "When I asked you to go with me to Homecoming you said 'I'm definitely too good for you, Rat Fink'. Remember that? You told me no 'cause I wasn't _worthy_."

"I told you no because you're a player," she corrected. "I wasn't gonna be someone you toss aside once you're bored. That's not the kind of relationship I want." They inched closer together. "Not to mention you thought groping my ass was a compliment. Maybe if you hadn't objectified me I would've said yes. You're an entitled prick who's used to getting whatever you want, and you hate that you can't have me." She tapped her cheek. "You can have the first shot, though. Better make it a good one before I show you what it really means to hit like a girl."

Butch awoke to hooting and hollering in addition to an intense headache. Thankfully there weren't any bright lights around to amplify it, but he did see lots of stars overhead. "The fuck'm I?" he mumbled.

"Hey, you're awake." Mike's visage blotted out the night sky. "Take it slow. Duke says Buttercup gave you a concussion with that last strike." Just replaying it made him wince, but damn if her form hadn't been flawless. He lay on the ground a minute more to gather his bearings, then turned his head sideways to see what was causing the commotion. "Easy, easy!" Mike tried to prevent him from rushing forward but he was too small. Harry, however, was large enough to stop Butch from barging into the fight.

"Get off her!" he shouted, trying to break past the lineman. All the aches and pains he'd sustained meant he didn't have the strength just yet.

Joey shot him a scowl full of contempt. "Well if isn't Sleeping Beauty. Enjoy your nap, princess?"

"Get off her…" Butch said again, practically pleading. "C'mon, man, stop it. Look at her."

"I know, isn't it great?" Joey sneered at Buttercup. "Not such a hot model now." She could only glare at him through one eye since the other was swollen shut. The opposite side of her face had been split open by a rock that she had the misfortune to fall on, and her shirt hung in tatters. But she'd done more damage to Joey by breaking both his nose and right shoulder with satisfying _crunches_. Just before Butch stirred he'd tackled her at the waist and knocked the wind out of her, and he currently had a hand on her throat yet wasn't squeezing. "Guess I should thank you for weakening her for me, Butch." Buttercup scoffed, spitting on him. His fingers tightened. "Got something to say, bitch?"

"Yeah…" She took a deep breath. "You're a coward." Before Joey could strangle her she exhaled and jerked a knee up to his occipital ridge, pushing his unconscious form aside. The audience was quiet as Buttercup shakily stood. Fuck, that'd been a lot harder than she anticipated. Somewhere in the rear of her brain was a reminder that Joey's dad was an amateur boxer; the douchebag knew how to throw a decent punch. Lloyd and Floyd supported her between themselves while trudging to their car, Mitch trailing.

Joey recovered before they reached it. "Stop her…" he growled, rising to his hands and knees. "One of you drag her back here _now_." Harry and another boy obeyed but then halted, and he lifted his head. "Get the fuck outta the way, Butch."

"No." He stood firmly between the two groups. "I'm not gonna let you hurt her any more." Buttercup heard that and glanced over her shoulder to see what was going on. The boy of no consequence backed off immediately as Harry tried moving around Butch only to be blockaded. "Leave her alone. It's over."

Someone helped Joey to his feet. "It's not over till I say it's over. Move your fucking useless ass out of the way."

"No." Harry stopped trying to sidestep him, shooting his leader an apprehensive look. The defiance in Butch's dark green eyes enraged him more than anything that had happened so far. "If you wanna get to Buttercup, you gotta go through me." That was fine with Joey. Fury fueled his steps and gave him enough strength to approach the Ruff with his functional arm raised in preparation to knock the daylights out of him. Finesse failed him as Butch easily blocked the punch, driving a fist into his solar plexus. Joey collapsed onto the grass, finished. No one budged.

"…Well that didn't quite go as planned," Mike remarked, disrupting the silence. "Guess we're done here, Butch. Let's go."

"You guys're just leaving?" Harry hedged. "What about Fink?"

"Fuck him."

* * *

By Monday there were no indications that Butch and Buttercup had been embroiled in conflict over the weekend, but Joey had a bandage on his nose and his arm was in a cast and sling. He wore a long-sleeved shirt to hide his other injuries and he didn't say a word to anyone. The tension in third-period Chemistry was thick enough to cut with a knife, slightly alleviated by the experiment taking place outside. Butch lingered as the bell rang, in no rush to head to the cafeteria. He could just skip it altogether and get lunch in the city like Brick did every day, but then he remembered Mike. He flew through the doors in a mild panic, relieved to see that his petite friend was perfectly fine. Butch joined the line behind him. "Hey, look at you," Mike beamed, "not a scratch on you. And look over there." He inclined his head toward their old table occupied by only Joey. "He's got nobody left. After Harry told the other guys what you did, they all abandoned him."

"But I didn't really do anything," Butch refuted. "It was your plan."

"Not the part where you openly defied Fink and then socked him in the gut. That was all you, dude. You were, like, _valiant_."

That was a word he never imagined being used to describe him. "I had to stop him…" Butch muttered, "he was actin' crazy." And he'd been defending himself in retrospect.

"Well, I hope he learned his lesson." They loaded their trays, paid, and then surveyed the room together. "Where do we sit now?" Mike mused.

"Outside?" Butch suggested. The weather was certainly nice enough, plus there were trees in the courtyard offering shade. While searching for the perfect spot someone unexpectedly called to them.

"Hey, you two." It was Buttercup, her strong voice cutting through the din. "Come hang with us." Mitch, Lloyd, and Floyd were more than welcoming but she didn't say anything else while the conversation flowed easily; three of the guys were former teammates who held no grudges against one another. As talk dwindled toward the end of the hour Buttercup finally spoke again, fixating Butch with an intense stare. "Come with me." She grabbed his wrist and surprised the hell out of him by lifting him from his seat.

"You… you're flyin'." And nearly holding his hand. Was he dreaming?

"Yep. Come on." Butch followed her into the sky until wispy clouds streaked across the aerial view of Townsville High. She hovered with one hand on her hip. "Why'd you do it?" He regarded her blankly. "Why did you disobey Joey again? Now you don't have any friends left."

"I got Mike, 'n Lloyd I think…" His brow furrowed. "Joey wasn't my friend, and neither were most of those guys. We all felt like we owed him somethin'."

Buttercup nodded in acceptance of his answer. "I'm glad you saw his true colors. And I should thank you for putting yourself between me and him. Thanks, Butch."

"Yeah, sure, anytime…" Why did his chest feel hot? It was barely spring, not that warm yet. "Are you still mad at me?"

"Nope. Actually, I wanted to ask if you'd like to spar again sometime. Without antidote."

"Really?" he breathed.

"Really," Buttercup said. "And I'm not taking it before school any more. I don't give a fuck about Princess. You know, I doubt any of this would've happened if I'd just solved the initial problem, if I'd bruised Joey's ego before things escalated so far. But I was trying to be nice, I didn't want to hurt him. I gave him multiple chances to turn the other cheek. Now he has nothing." And the fact that neither of them sported embarrassing evidence of the climactic battle was like icing on the sweet revenge cake. They could both move forward with their lives now. "So what do you say? Wanna fight again?" Butch opened his mouth to give her a resounding _yes_ but she raised a hand. "Before you agree, I wanna show you something. Make a shield."

"Huh?"

"Make a shield, your toughest one." Butch manipulated his own electromagnetic field into an ionized sphere. Buttercup simply placed her palms on it. Nothing happened at first, but then he felt rather than heard a sort of tingling, buzzing sensation. His shield started to waver, the energy crackling. He focused on maintaining its shape and integrity but an external force radiated into his limbs, shaking it apart. Without warning the sphere failed, the strange vibration subsiding.

"The fuck was that?" he asked, wide-eyed. "What'd you do?"

Buttercup appeared quite pleased with herself. "I don't think you know this, but when I was a kid I didn't have a unique ability like my sisters. I was just a little bit 'more' than them, more strength, endurance, and speed. Guess I was a late bloomer 'cause I got one when we turned twelve. Magic of puberty." She splayed her fingers. "It's called resonance. Basically I generate vibrations that harmonize with resonant frequencies. It's easiest with physical objects but I disrupt pretty much anything, even light and sound waves."

There were a lot of big words in there that Butch didn't understand, but the ability to break stuff just by touching it sounded awesome. "Does it work on people?"

"Dunno," she shrugged, "never tried it."

Now he was morbidly curious. "Try it on me."

"I don't think that's a good idea. I might kill you." And it was clear Buttercup didn't want that. She never really did. They descended to campus, landing smoothly in their spots at the table.

"Welcome back," Mitch greeted. "How's the weather up there?"

"Pretty nice," the Powerpuff answered. "Might have to eat here for the rest of the year unless it rains." She turned to Butch and Mike. "You guys can sit with us from now on."

Mike was ecstatic but Butch withheld his enthusiasm, waiting until the bell rang. "Are we friends now?" he wondered.

Buttercup partially smiled at him but he could tell it was as sincere as her laughter had been three months ago. "Something like that."


	12. I'm Ready to Try to Feel the Good Times

**Chapter Twelve: I'm ready to try to feel the good times**

"So, Buttercup has a special power," Butch declared in the midst of stirring pasta sauce. Brick's knife on the cutting board faltered and he turned his head slightly. "She broke my shield using somethin' called resonance."

"Really." He sounded intrigued. "You mean harmonic resonance?"

"Yeah, that."

"Hmm." Silence for a beat. "That's very interesting." It was interesting because Brick's Physics teacher had just assigned a project in which he and Blossom were supposed to present an example of observable resonance to the class. Pendulums and clocks and other oscillating objects would suffice, but employing Buttercup would earn them an A for sure. Brick was also sincerely glad to hear she'd developed her own unique ability because he remembered her not having one when they fought as kids, just like him.

After battling the Powerpuffs for the last time and leaving Townsville he fell terribly ill, and his brothers couldn't buy medicine because they were young kids with no money. He spent five days deliriously sweating it out, Butch and Boomer unknowing whether or not he'd pull through, then all of a sudden his fever broke. He felt perfectly fine even though they said his skin was burning hot and he couldn't possibly be okay. For a while Brick had to deal with vaporizing any liquid he touched until he seemingly went back to normal. A pediatrician told him that his immune system had gone into overdrive creating antibodies to fight off the virus, turning his insides into such a hostile environment he'd never get sick again. The pyrokinesis was an unexpected side effect yet one he had great fun learning to master.

 _I believe your sister can help us with our physics project_ , Brick texted to Blossom once finished with dinner.

 _Which one and how so?_ she replied.

 _Buttercup and her resonance ability. It's exactly what we need._

 _She would never let us use her for show and tell._

 _Bribe her._

A minute went by. _That won't be necessary, she agreed since it gets her out of math class._ _What sort of demonstration should we give?_

 _Let's have her shatter a crystal glass_ , Brick suggested. _I'm looking at a particularly ugly decanter right now._

 _Why do you have a decanter?_ Blossom asked.

 _It came with the penthouse._ Along with that bottle of champagne he'd open once the last two benefactors on Max's list had been taken care of. The Morbucks were hosting a gala next month where one would be in attendance. The Boys were also invited but had to be fitted for tuxedos beforehand. Brick kept putting it off to focus on school.

The day of their presentation, a pair of seniors tried doing the same experiment by shattering a wine glass, but although they successfully turned it into an idiophone they couldn't get it to break. Buttercup smirked and said, "Let a pro show you how it's done."

"Hold on a second…" Brick put the decanter in a box lid to catch the broken bits and Blossom brought out a frequency meter. "All right, do your thing." Buttercup placed the tip of her index finger on the rim as everyone including the teacher sat forward. Nothing happened at first, but then the meter began to blip. A crack formed without warning, streaking through the crystal and reducing it to shards in the blink of an eye.

Blossom cleared her throat. "Our demonstration was an example of acoustic resonance. As you have just observed, this crystal container experienced catastrophic failure when met with its resonant frequency which was… about three-hundred and seventy Hertz. Those of you in the front row may have picked up on the vibration Buttercup emanated."

Brick certainly had. It was fascinating. "Right, um… this phenomenon can also occur in instruments that rely on resonators to produce sound such as flutes, violins and drums, but most builders take that into consideration." His eyes flicked to Blossom. "I think that's about it?"

She nodded, smiling. He tried to act like public speaking didn't faze him but the reddened tips of his ears always gave him away. "Thank you two, err, three," their teacher said, "you may return to your seats." Buttercup gladly kicked her feet up on an empty chair, content to stay for the rest of the period if it meant avoiding Algebra.

When the bell rang and everyone filed out, Brick nudged her shoulder and she found him proffering a gift card. "What's this for?"

"For getting Blossom and I a good grade on the project. Also…" He lowered his voice. "To replace your clothes that Butch ruined. He told me everything you went through last week."

Buttercup peeked at the amount, eyes widening. "God, Brick, they weren't worth _that_ much." But apparently he was weird about debts so she accepted it nonetheless. In Chemistry she turned the card over in her hands while contemplating an idea.

"What's that?" Butch asked upon arrival.

"Compensation, I guess." She gave him a sideways glance. "Our first Ultimate game is this Friday. Would you… do you want to go shopping with me the day after?" Shit, now that she said it aloud it seemed like she was asking him out or something. Better add a stipulation. "Only if we win."

Butch was surprised. "You wanna go shoppin' with _me?_ Oh, to replace that shirt I dissolved. Sure, I got you, Butters."

Her nickname didn't quite sound the same coming from him, less casual and more… endearing? "You don't need to buy me anything, I got a gift card," she assured.

"Nah, I owe ya. I'll get you any one thing you want. It can even be one of those diamond bras from Victoria's Secret."

Buttercup faced him fully. "First of all I'm not going _lingerie_ shopping with you, Butch. Second, fine, I'll let you replace my tunic since it's a limited run from an indie designer. Third… how much do those bras even cost?"

"Like a million bucks," he flippantly replied. She just stared. "So do you want one?"

"I don't need a diamond bra, thanks."

"They come with matching panties…" Buttercup shook her head at his enticing tone. "Okay, that's a no. How 'bout a diamond body chain? No wait, _black_ diamonds. Black diamonds with emeralds would look amazin' on ya."

She said nothing while he smiled like a fool. Mitch and Floyd stopped by on the way to their table. "What's with him?" the latter inquired.

"Pretty sure he's having a lewd fantasy involving me in an emerald and black diamond body chain," Buttercup explained.

"That's… very specific." Mitch waved his hand in front of Butch's face. "Hello, earth to space cadet. You gotta pay attention in class so you don't _fail_." No reaction whatsoever. "He's gone."

"Want me to smack him out of it?"

Buttercup denied Floyd's offer; Butch was just being Butch. Now that they were on friendlier terms she noticed things about him she hadn't before, like how frequently he zoned out and how much food he consumed on a daily basis. He also laughed and grinned a lot. Due to his mouth being open in her presence so often she saw that Butch had unusually sharp canines. It was sort of uncanny; his pointy teeth and her long nails were like their natural weapons. She also noticed that he never stopped _moving_. Bouncing his leg, drumming his fingers, spinning or tapping or sometimes chewing on his pencil, doodling alongside his notes, creasing paper… With anyone else it would've annoyed the fuck out of her, but she understood his need for stimulation while sitting through boring classes.

The observations went both ways. Butch couldn't keep up with Buttercup's sharp wit since she always had the perfect comeback. He marveled at her ability to convey her thoughts and feelings with a single look; her eyes were her most expressive feature and he certainly didn't mind gazing into them. Robin seemed to be her closest female friend because other girls were wary of her, which had to be why she hung out with dudes. Butch always thought she smelled nice but he eventually realized she rotated through a selection of perfumes. Whatever she wore on Fridays drove him wild and he found himself fighting the urge to bury his face in the crook of her neck to inhale it.

He had an especially difficult time not throwing himself on Buttercup during their first Ultimate Frisbee game of the season, the Townsville High Peregrines versus the Pacific Science Academy Marlins. Halftime was over and they were closing in on the fifteen points necessary to win, just two more goals. Susie and Mike had scored the majority since the opposition underestimated their petite statures, allowing them to dart into the end zones unchecked. "Hey, Butch, pay attention." The captain snapped his fingers to take his focus off Buttercup's glistening bronze skin and her eyes alight with the promise of victory. _"Butch."_

"I'm listenin'! We're gonna do the zig-zag thing."

"With you on the left, Robin on the right, and Buttercup in the middle."

"Okay, got it."

The captain eyed him sternly before breaking their huddle. The play went like clockwork, the Peregrines scoring their fourteenth goal without issue. Now that they were on defense, though, the Marlins tried their damnedest to prevent a turnover from happening. They made short, simple passes that couldn't be intercepted and earned their own goal. Then they started playing more aggressively and got the disc back in their possession three times in a row, now just one point behind. "Where the heck did this come from?!" Mike asked in dismay. "It's like we're facing a totally different team!"

"Don't worry, I have a plan." Susie smiled at the former football stars. "Remember your guys' final Homecoming play?"

Butch gulped. "That was an act of desperation."

"Well, I think you should do the exact same thing. I want you to receive the pull as the rest of us book it down the field, then I want you to chuck that disc in a nice arc above their heads. One of us will catch it."

Their captain groaned. "Hail Marys don't usually work, Susie."

"It will this time," she said with unshakable confidence. "Butch can do it."

He stood at the left side of their end zone since the disc tended to drift that way when thrown by right-handed players. Butch himself was ambidextrous, a reason why he started playing sports in addition to needing an energy outlet, and he suspected Buttercup might be as well based on watching her handle the frisbee. By the time he caught it his teammates had just about reached the opposite goal, turning to look back at him. Robin stopped three-quarters of the way there in case his throw didn't make it, but Butch had the strength and aim to ensure that it did. He watched it go sailing above the other team's heads where it would land gently into the hands of his own… except the wind kicked up and blew the disc off course, nearly carrying it out of bounds. Buttercup planted her feet at the edge of the white line and stretched, rising onto her tiptoes as her fingertips hooked the rim, then gravity took over and she landed on her stomach in a small patch of mud.

Of course the Marlins wanted to contest the catch, but everyone could plainly see that her shoes were within bounds even if the rest of her was out. Since Buttercup had maintained two points of ground contact, that meant the goal was valid and Townsville High was victorious. Robin and Mike helped her up where she grimaced at her jersey before Butch barreled into her, sweeping her off her feet. "You did it! That was awesome! I can't believe we won our first game!" he exclaimed.

Buttercup was beaming. "I'm telling Susie you doubted our crack team." She wrapped her arms around his neck, basking in the sensation of glory until his parted lips brushed her collarbone. "Hey… what're you doing?"

Butch pushed himself away wearing a sheepish expression if she ever saw one. "You smell good."

"No I don't, I'm covered in dirt and sweat." He rubbed his neck, his nervous habit. "You're so weird."

Before he could respond to that almost affectionate-sounding word the captain shouted, "Come on, guys! Let's hit the showers and head back to campus!"

Butch bit his lip as his mind went spiraling into fantasy land. He imagined helping Buttercup out of her uniform and washing off the grime marring her skin so that nothing hindered his exploration of her gorgeous body. He kissed and caressed her until she whispered his name in desperation, then he pressed her back against the wall, fitted himself between her legs entwining his hips, and lost himself in wet heat beneath the water cascading over them.

"Dude, snap out of it." Mike flicked his nose to banish the reverie. "We have to clean up fast so we don't miss the bus."

"Right…" The vision was already fading, crawling back to the recesses where it would manifest as a vivid dream during his REM cycle. Butch was resigned to the fact that none of his dreams would ever become reality, so he cherished them. He may not be allowed to start a physical relationship with Buttercup but Brick had no control over what went on in his own head.

* * *

April Fool's Day was Boomer's favorite minor holiday. Not only was the Ruffs' birthday a mere week away, it gave him free reign to torment his brothers, payback for deriding him so often when they were kids. Electrocuting them at unsuspecting moments was his favorite way to celebrate, but eventually they started retaliating. He had to touch them to zap them and that meant Brick could singe him in turn; one year he torched Boomer's hair clean off his head. And Butch's shields doubled as kinetic energy absorbers meaning he could dish it out as good as he got. They learned not to let their guard down around him so Boomer had to get creative, and he was very proud of some of his previous schemes. This year he had the opportunity to prank the entire student body yet he'd promised Bubbles he wouldn't use his powers on anyone, so he came up with something innocuous.

Was his idea harmless? Perfectly. Would it inconvenience the whole school? Absolutely.

It wasn't a one-man job, he required Butch's help. And it wouldn't work if he couldn't get out of Music Study, but fortune favored him when a senior asked Boomer to be his sound engineer while he wailed on a drum set in a recording booth. After the guy donned his headphones Boomer sped to his locker in the main building where Butch was already waiting, acting casual. "Did you close the cafeteria doors?" the blond questioned.

"Uh-huh. Mostly everyone's in the courtyard, anyway."

"Great." Boomer retrieved two commercial-sized cans of shortening which he'd appropriated from the Culinary Arts storage room along with gloves to keep their hands clean, giving a set of each to Butch. "You take the north and east halls, I'll go west and south. Remember to fly low so no one in a classroom sees you." Boomer then used his X-ray vision to scan the entire campus, tracking Miss Keane's secretary to her office. She was the only person walking around. "Ready… and… go!" As soon as her door closed they shot off in opposite directions, scooping up globs of shortening and applying it to the tiled hallways. Boomer estimated they could slather every non-carpeted floor in less than a minute moving at full speed, which was trickier in practice due to the relatively confined spaces. They got it done nonetheless, regrouping behind the music building and lasering the evidence for good measure, then they returned to where they were expected to be with the utmost nonchalance.

When the bell rang and the door to the junior council room opened to dispense its members, Princess took one step and promptly fell on her rear, yelping. Her colleagues regarded her in alarm. "Are you all right?" Brick asked.

"I can't stand up! The floor's all slippery!" She scooted back into the room as Wes cautiously stuck his foot out the door.

"Heh… I think we've been pranked."

Brick drifted past him into the corridor to see what was going on. In both directions students stood at the entrances to their classrooms looking confused, humored, or irritated, and a few bold souls tried walking off only to slip and slide and inevitably fall down. "Did someone grease the hall?" Susie questioned.

"That appears to be the case," he answered.

"Who could it have been? Everyone's either in class or having lunch."

Who indeed. The intercom buzzed before Brick could text his brothers. "Attention, students and faculty! Please remain in your rooms while we get the halls cleaned up. They are currently unsafe to walk so please do not attempt to head to your next class or the cafeteria. It is likely that sixth period will be omitted for today as second lunch has been delayed. Thank you for your patience."

Wes laughed lightly. "Miss Keane sounds _pissed_."

"I bet a bunch of teachers are mad they can't go on their breaks," Susie mused.

Princess pouted. "Brick, can't you carry me to my personal finance class? It's right around the corner."

"No point when the schedule is off," he returned. Besides, he wasn't a damn ferry. There were only two janitors so cleaning the hallways would probably take a while. He couldn't believe one or perhaps both of his siblings had trapped the student body so efficiently. _Which one of you did it?_

 _Did what?_ Butch replied.

 _You know what I'm talking about._

 _You asking me why the floors are all slick?_ Brick audibly sighed. _Couldn't tell ya, I was eating lunch with Buttercup and the guys._

 _And I've been recording somebody's drum solo_ , Boomer said.

Did they really think Brick would accept such flimsy excuses, like he didn't know what they were capable of? _If you still want birthday presents you'll admit to it._

 _That's not fair!_ Butch protested. _We didn't do it, and you promised we'd go to a strip club when we turned 18!_

 _Promise revoked unless you fess up._

 _It wasn't me!_ Butch insisted.

 _Me either_ , Boomer said.

Brick knew they were lying, he could practically feel it in his bones. They were the only two who could move fast enough not to be seen by anyone. But he didn't rat them out because as much as he hated being inconvenienced, he still got to have Spanish class with Blossom. And it was a pretty clever prank that hadn't hurt anyone. Still, Miss Keane and most of the faculty were not amused. She questioned Brick, Boomer, Butch and Buttercup but they all had perfectly valid alibis. Brick had obviously been in a meeting with the student council. Boomer had been in the recording booth which his senior classmate corroborated. Butch and Buttercup had been having lunch with their friends who vouched for them, and Butch only left for a minute to grab a soda from the vending machine. By the end of the day no accusations were made.

It was easy for Boomer not to outwardly brag when he'd gotten used to taking personal pride in his accomplishments. He still wore a smug little smirk as he met up with Bubbles after their last classes let out for the day, automatically lacing his fingers with hers and ducking his head to give her a kiss. Their first had followed a romantic Valentine's Day dinner, literal sparks flying between them as electricity shot through their veins and temporarily erased every other sensation. Boomer felt that _zing_ each time their lips met, an easy feeling to get addicted to. He wanted more but Bubbles had expressed a desire to proceed slowly with the physical aspects of their relationship. He was content to wait since he had all the time in the world.

"It was you, wasn't it?" Bubbles whispered on their way outside. "You messed up the floors for everyone."

Boomer feigned an indignant gasp. "My own _girlfriend_ suspects me?!"

She giggled, rolling her eyes. "You told me about pulling April Fool's Day pranks on your brothers last week."

"Oh… I totally did. Crap." She laughed kindly as he slumped, busted.

"I knew it. And also, your birthday's coming up soon. Do you have any plans?"

"Just one…" Boomer led her beneath the shade of a tree, drawing her fingers to his lips in an adorable attempt to hide behind them. "Would you wanna go to a music festival?"

"A _festival?_ " Bubbles breathed. "Omigosh, that sounds amazing! Where is it? Is it really happening during your birthday weekend?"

"Yeah, it starts the Friday of. It's down in Acapulco." She'd never heard of that place. "Mexico," Boomer clarified.

"Ooh!" She had stars in her eyes at the prospect of spending two whole days with him in an exotic locale where they could listen to good music and _finally_ dance together. She suddenly turned bashful. "You really wanna go with _me?_ What about your brothers?"

"I was hoping you could help me throw a surprise party for them."

"A surprise party?!" Bubbles _loved_ parties, both attending and hosting them. "I need details."

"Okay, well, I was thinking it could be at our penthouse 'cause there's plenty of room for people. We'll give invitations to Brick's and Butch's friends and leave a key with your sisters so they can set things up while my brothers are gone. We usually just go to a mall on our birthday so that's probably what they're gonna do. Butch said something about a strip club but I don't think that'll happen."

Bubbles snickered and then stopped as she realized the Rowdyruff Boys were about to become legal adults. Should she start calling them Rowdyruff Men? "I bet Blossom would love to make the cake. What about food and decorations?"

"I'll give them money for that. They can order pizza or something." Boomer went back to regarding her shyly. "I thought we could stay at a nice hotel in Acapulco, do some shopping, swimming, see the sights outside of the festival hours…"

"That sounds so wonderful." She embraced him, feeling his heart skip a beat. "I can't wait."

* * *

April 7th was a Sunday, his eighteenth birthday, and a day of shameless indulgence for Brick. Unlike his brothers he didn't frivolously spend money all year long so this was the singular instance where he permitted himself to buy whatever struck his fancy. He splurged on copper and cast iron cookware as well as a knife set forged from Japanese steel. Butch bought a bigger TV for his room, a new sound system, and three very expensive pairs of sunglasses. Most of those items did not fit in the Porsche so they were being delivered later that day. "What do you want for dinner?" Brick asked while they rode the elevator to the top floor of Evergreen Tower.

"How 'bout… sushi?" Butch suggested. "Should be easy with those knives."

It was like he knew his brother was dying to use them. "All right, we'll get some fresh fish later tonight." Sushi was one of Boomer's favorite foods; too bad he'd decided to leave for the weekend. Just before Brick slid his key into the lock he froze, staring at the light visible beneath the double doors.

"We gonna go inside or what?" Brick shushed Butch and he frowned, waiting a beat before retrieving his own key. A firm hand reached out to stop him. "The fuck, Bro?"

"Be quiet," Brick muttered, "someone's in there."

They both looked down at a darting shadow. Butch's demeanor instantly shifted from relaxed to tense and alert, awaiting instruction from his leader. They couldn't use their X-ray vision to see inside because the penthouse was designed to protect important rich people from nuclear fallout, the walls and doors lined with lead. The intruder probably had a gun on them, not much of a threat since they were bulletproof, but Brick still had Butch take a knee and put up a concave shield to deflect the shot from their vital areas. His sight turned red, eyes growing warm from the heat of his high-powered lasers, and his heart beat harder in anticipation. Who had found them? What information were they after? How did they expect this confrontation to go? Brick didn't take very kindly to people invading his personal space. He finally unlocked the door, thankful its click was so slight, and pushed it open.

"Surpri—" The rest was cut off as everyone gasped or screamed and ducked behind furniture.

Butch instantly stood down. "We almost killed you fuckers!"

"What the _fuck_ are you doing here?" Brick demanded.

Several faces appeared over the backs of the sofas. "Um, surprise!" Robin's voice wavered. "Happy birthday!"

Buttercup folded her arms and scowled. "We were _trying_ to throw you a party. Didn't think that was grounds for getting merc'd."

Brick leaned against the door with a groan, pinching the bridge of his nose. Once his pulse returned to normal he surveyed the living room. There was a banner, streamers, and cake and presents on the coffee table. The unexpected guests consisted of Robin, Buttercup, Blossom, Wes, Susie, Mitch, Mike, Floyd, and Lloyd. "How did you get in?" he questioned in a calmer manner.

"It was Boomer's idea." Blossom held up a key matching his own. "He let me borrow this so we could get everything ready while you two were out." Brick was really going to maim his little brother when he got back. He then shot Blossom a look containing both fear and a warning. "Don't worry, we didn't go snooping around your home," she reassured.

"But it's fucking _nice_ ," Mitch said. "Can't believe you guys really live here!"

Wes agreed. "Yeah, the man in the lobby said you have a pool and a grill on the roof. Can we check it out?"

While Butch escorted the interested party members outside, Brick went to his room to ensure nothing had been rummaged through, finding everything exactly as he left it. "Is that your bedroom?" Blossom inquired when he emerged. "Do you keep your books in there?"

Oh yeah, she'd expressed interest in his collection way back at Christmas. "Yes it is, and no I don't. They're upstairs." He motioned for her to follow him to the second level. The office felt rather antiquated with a big oak desk, stiff leather seats and Tiffany lamps, and it had a musty smell from the vintage novels adorning the shelves.

It was safe to say Brick was well-read in the classic literature department. Aristotle, Camus, Machiavelli, Nietzsche, Plato and Sun Tzu for philosophy. Lewis' and Tolkien's fantasy works. Asimov, Clarke, Herbert, Verne and Wells for science fiction. He had a leather-bound set of Shakespeare's comedies, tragedies, and histories. Austen, Bradbury, Brontë, Byron, Carroll, Dickens, Doyle, Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Huxley, Lee, Orwell, Steinbeck, Tolstoy, Twain… there wasn't a single author Blossom didn't recognize. She crouched to examine a shelf with just one book on it, 'The Essential Rumi', and smiled at Brick over her shoulder. "I can recommend some more titles to fill this one."

"That anthology you let me borrow didn't contain as much awful poetry as I thought it would." Speaking of which he should probably give it back since he'd had it for so long. They returned downstairs together and Brick almost strolled right into his room before whirling at the threshold. "Wait here, please." Blossom obliged, listening to him rustle around until he grunted in frustration.

"Can't find it?" she asked through the tiny crack.

"I had it on my nightstand, then I put it on my desk, then I moved a bunch of papers around…"

She gave a soft laugh. "It's okay, Brick. I said you could borrow it until the end of the school year."

"There's only two months left!" _That_ realization struck without warning. He had come to Townsville for a job and somehow became a serious high school student who cared about his grades and befriending peers. What the actual hell was wrong with him? He should've kicked everyone out by now; who knew what they might have stumbled across! Boomer's senseless plan almost blew their cover!

And yet…

Celebrating his birthday with friends was something Brick had never done before. Their gifts were so thoughtful, and Blossom somehow knew that red velvet cake with vanilla cream frosting was his favorite thing in the whole world. He was eighteen now, a legal adult in many countries, yet he felt like a giddy kid surrounded by people who kept encouraging him to play with his new toys.

Brick wouldn't admit it because he didn't want to hurt anybody's feelings, but Blossom's present was the best. It was simple yet ingenious, an armband for the Nervo that enhanced its holographic projector and touch input, and she got one for each of the Boys. Butch had messed with it until his TV arrived, seventy inches of 4K screen that didn't even fit in his room. He set it up in the living area instead, plugging in his console and rearranging the couches so everyone could sit and play the latest title from his favorite fighting game franchise that Mike had been kind enough to give him. It had a two versus two co-op mode and whoever dealt the least percentage of damage had to swap controllers with someone else, ensuring they all got a turn.

Butch went undefeated, but Buttercup was another strong player. They eventually ended up on the same team and won five straight matches. "Okay, this is some bullshit," Mitch grouched, switching seats with Lloyd. "You guys gotta be cheating or something."

"How'd we know how to cheat at a game that just came out?" Butch countered.

"I think you just suck," Buttercup snarked.

"Maybe they found the best character pair," Robin put in. She along with Wes and Susie mostly watched, but Susie managed to survive a round just by button-mashing. She deferred to Mike as he and Mitch attempted to dethrone Team Green. Mitch lost again, swapping with Floyd.

"You two are definitely cheating," he said. "I'm seeing some suspicious cancels."

Buttercup rolled her eyes. "All the level one and two super moves can be combo-cancelled. Stop whining and get good, boy."

"Oh it's on now, _girl_." He and Mike legitimately threatened Team Green's victory streak; they barely eked out a ninth win. "One more round," Floyd offered. "If you get this last one, you two are officially the reigning king and queen."

Butch accepted with a grin. Buttercup played in utter silence despite the insults and cursing flying from one couch to another. It got so raucous that Brick and Blossom had to continue their conversation on the roof. Buttercup killed off Mike's character and started to gang up on Floyd, but then he reversed an attack against Butch that erased most of his health bar. "What the fuck was that?!" he shouted. "Heal me, Butters!" She tried but Floyd stunned and KO'd her, leaving her partner at his mercy. To really stick it to Butch he revived Mike and they finished him off with a flashy team move. "Nooo!" he wailed, falling to the floor in dramatic fashion, then came a _crackle_ and the tinkling of plastic pieces. "Whoops."

Lloyd and Mitch snickered. "Did you just crush your controller?"

"Guess you don't know your own strength!"

Butch brushed the remnants off his palm. "It's okay, I have a spare in my room."

"I'll get it," Buttercup offered. "Which one's yours?"

"Upstairs, second door on the left." She nodded and flew away. It took fifteen whole seconds for Butch to realize the horrendous mistake he'd just made.

He streaked into his room, freezing at the sight of Buttercup studying the life-sized posters above his bed. Neither of them moved until it felt like an age had passed, then she turned to him with the most passive expression on her face. Butch all but spontaneously combusted from the heat of his embarrassment. His mouth had gone dry and his mind was blank. What the ever-loving fuck was he supposed to say to the subject of his fantasies after she happened upon his wank material?

"Wow," she deadpanned, "you must be my biggest fan." She grabbed a controller from its nook and waggled it. "Want to go back to the game?"

He wanted her to stay right there and turn his dreams into reality, get it out of his system. The visions would stop after he scratched that itch he could never quite satisfy. Buttercup was the one he needed, the only one, but he had to fight for her just like he'd fought for everything else in life. "Uhh, this isn't what it looks like," Butch articulated. He belatedly noted that wasn't an answer to her question.

"What is it, then?"

She spoke in a tone devoid of emotion, once again causing him anxiety. He didn't like not knowing what she was really thinking. "I just… I admire you, Butters. You're a really good model, y'know?"

"Thanks." She skirted him, pausing at the top of the steps to shoot him a caustic glare. "You're not just pretending to be my friend so you can fuck me, right?"

If Butch still needed it, there was more proof that she pulled no punches. "I'm not pretending," he answered. Buttercup hummed and descended the stairs. He drifted down a moment later. "Hey guys, can I talk to ya? Up here?"

Mitch, Mike, Floyd and Lloyd followed Butch into his room where they immediately boggled at the images adorning his walls. "Dude. _Dude_."

"Where'd you get all these pictures of Buttercup?"

"No wonder she seemed upset…"

"Are you in love with her or something?" Mitch questioned, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. He wasn't intimidating thanks to his wiry build, upturned nose, shaggy hair and prominent freckles, but he could don a mean mug when he tried. "You got feelings for Buttercup?"

Floyd also raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah, because we're trying to prove that not everyone objectifies her and stuff like _this_ isn't helpful."

Butch sat on his bed. "I like her a lot. I dunno if it's love, I've never been in love. I only…" He'd only ever been in lust, like Boomer said. His cheeks darkened. "She wasn't supposed to see these."

"Well you fucked that up, didn't you?" Lloyd sank into the gaming chair, sighing. "So what do you want from us?"

"I wanna know what Buttercup wants," Butch answered. "What kinda guy does she go for? What kinda relationship does she wanna be in?"

Mitch spread his hands. "Your guess is as good as ours. She's never told us her type, she's never admitted to having a crush on anyone, and she's never gone out with anyone." He paused. "Except you."

"Maybe she likes girls?" Floyd speculated.

Mike shook his head. "She doesn't like girls since girls don't like her. They've always been intimidated by her. That's why she became friends with us." His eyes flicked to Lloyd. "She had a crush on Fink in seventh grade, but he turned into an asshole when he got popular. Then she had a crush on _you_."

"Shit, really? I never knew." Lloyd appeared wistful. "What'd she like about me?"

"Buttercup's type is guys who have integrity, are taller than her, physically fit, and honest. She hates being lied to. Apparently when the Powerpuffs were kids she figured out that Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny weren't real and ruined them for Bubbles."

"That's kind of funny…" Floyd tilted his head. "How do you know all this?"

"Robin. She's the only person Buttercup confides in other than her sisters. Robin knew I liked her and started telling me things thinking it'd help me win her over, but I could never work up the courage to say anything. It's just as well since I don't fulfill the height requirement." Mike sighed, squaring his shoulders. "I don't know if that helps you, Butch, but my advice is to be someone Buttercup can rely on instead of trying to get in her pants. Really be her friend."

Butch had wanted to get in her pants since he laid eyes on her, but he also wanted to be _with_ her. See her smile and hear her laugh. Be the one she unloaded her emotional burdens on instead of repressing them. He wanted Buttercup to know she didn't have to hold back with him. If she needed to hit, break, or destroy something he'd handle the outburst. He wanted to make her feel good and sex was a method for accomplishing that. It was called being friends _with benefits_ for a reason. Butch groaned when his stomach rumbled; thinking about all this complicated stuff made him hungry. He zipped up to the roof. "Brick! What's for dinner? We still havin' sushi?"

His brother was annoyed to have been interrupted in the midst of being enlightened on the subject of epic poetry. "I don't think I can make enough for everyone," he replied.

"Pizza?"

Brick sighed in resignation. They had ordered pizza almost every Friday night since moving to Townsville. "Sure."

Blossom's eyes widened. "Oh, that's right! Boomer left us money for food!" The three of them rejoined their friends and Brick dialed the number of a woodfired pizzeria, patiently relaying the orders everyone began hurling at him. Unfortunately once the pizza arrived his appetite all but vanished. He had no interest in his typical pepperoni-bacon-jalapeño-pepperoncini request, but Buttercup devoured it in his stead. Blossom also ate a slice of Hawaiian with lacking enthusiasm even though she'd only had a couple pieces of toast for breakfast and needed sustenance. Wes casually remarked how cool it would be to have a pizza party on the roof; everyone grabbed a box or two and hurried outside. The quiet they left in their wake was nice because even though Brick had gotten used to socializing he still didn't like being the center of attention. Neither did Blossom, though she was better than him at acting like it didn't drain her. "Can I ask you something?" she queried. He hummed. "How are you Boys older than us? We'll turn eighteen on August twentieth, but we were made before you."

Brick logged that date away for future use. "I think our development was accelerated while Him kept us in his laboratory."

Blossom nodded slowly. "You've never mentioned that to me before."

Yet she didn't seem fazed. "I'm assuming you got the information when you did that deep web search on us."

"I didn't, actually." His brow rose. "I have all of Mojo's data regarding your development, but there wasn't anything on the human scientist who altered you. There's no paper trail, at least none that I could find."

That was news to Brick. Silent seconds ticked by as he tried not to dwell on that part of his life since it had felt like the end. Bloody and broken, defeated at the hands of the Powerpuff Girls, Him found the Ruffs and broke them down further to remake them into beings far surpassing humankind. Brick wondered if Him was a man at all, or human for that matter. He never saw a face, only a slender shadow, and he only heard a mellifluous voice that could turn harsh and discordant without warning, telling him how he would be punished for wrongdoings he hadn't known he committed. Hearing it echo in his memory made him shiver.

"Brick…" Blossom reached across the kitchen counter to touch his hand, startling him. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked about that."

"It's fine." He was an adult now and didn't need to dredge up things that happened when he was a kid. The past was in the past and that's where it should stay. Brick took a deep, calming breath and met her gaze. "Would you like to have dinner with me, Blossom?"

She blinked a few times. "Didn't we just spend over a hundred dollars on pizza?"

"Boomer did," he smirked, "but I'm not in the mood for pizza. I want to go somewhere nice, like…" He consulted his timezone app. "Spain. It's noon there, so we can have lunch." Her pretty lips parted in shock. "Please?"

How could she deny Brick on his _birthday?_ It took no effort to accept his hand, fly across the United States and the Atlantic, and land in Seville where Blossom was immediately blown away by the variety of Moorish, Renaissance, and Gothic architecture. "You really lived here?" she breathed in awe.

"Only for a few months when we were thirteen," he said. "I wasn't the right age to appreciate it so I've been wanting to come back. We can try our Spanish on the locals." They descended to street level and began looking for an uncrowded place to eat, Blossom's head turning every-which-way. She had never done something so impulsive and let out an uncharacteristic giggle, eliciting a smile from Brick.

"I can't believe we're here. Do you think it's okay that we just left everyone?"

"I trust Buttercup to keep our friends in line," he replied, pausing to scan a menu posted outside a restaurant. Tapas, paella, wine. Perfect

Blossom clung to him self-consciously while they were shown to a table on the terrace. "I'm not dressed for a place this nice!"

Brick tutted at her misgivings. She wore a flowing white top, a double-slit maxi skirt, and strappy sandals. _He_ was the underdressed one in distressed jeans and a button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled at uneven lengths to accommodate his armband. He spent a minute making them symmetrical as Blossom admired the view, the sheer wonder on her visage filling his chest with warmth. He let her try his wine, a rosé, but she said it was too sweet. He enjoyed sweet beverages to balance out all the spicy food he ate. After paying for lunch he had a stroke of inspiration and opened his phone's map app, poking around a 3D projection of the city. "Do you like it, that attachment?" Blossom asked.

"I love it," Brick answered. "Where did you even find it? I've never seen any accessories like this for the Nervo."

"That's because it's one-of-a-kind… or three-of-a-kind, I suppose. I built them myself."

His jaw dropped. "Are you serious?"

"It wasn't difficult, there's hardly any circuitry. The armband simply boosts the projector's output capability, but it drained the battery too quickly so I added a panel that absorbs body heat to charge it. I drew up the concept in CAD and made it with a 3D printer." She shrugged. "Easy." Having taken the class himself Brick knew it wasn't that simple; then again, Blossom was much more brilliant with technology than him. She could decipher code, write programs, navigate networks and hack into servers, and now she was fabricating things! Where had someone like her been all his life? The jobs he accepted would've gone so much smoother with her expertise to rely on. "So what are you looking for?" she pressed.

"Oh, um, I wanted to buy some saffron before we head home. It's expensive in the States and Manchegan saffron specifically is considered the best in the world." That was food trivia she probably didn't care about. Brick blushed but Blossom gladly accompanied him to a market where they found a tiny shop selling grams of saffron for reasonable prices. Then, since it was midday, they toured all the main historical sites. Brick didn't really notice they'd been holding hands the entire time until Blossom pulled him toward a group of musicians performing in a plaza. The contact felt nice, natural even, and he reasoned it was an instinctual thing to want to be physically connected to the only person he knew in a foreign land. Flamenco was the dance of choice in Seville but the musicians played something in the right time signature for salsa. Brick heard it, and Blossom did too because her hips automatically shifted to the rapid rhythm. "Want to?" She arched an eyebrow at his offer. "Dance."

"Oh… In front of all these people?"

"Why not? They don't know us." Blossom glanced at the crowd, searched his features, and agreed.

She was astounded when Brick started leading without any prompting, holding her properly, turning and spinning her, winding his arms around her waist and shoulders like he'd taken actual lessons or something. "How did you get so good since Homecoming?" she asked.

"I watched some videos… and read some books," he explained. The tempo slowed a little and they faced each other. "I thought I should learn to do this properly in case… just in case."

Brick had invested time and energy improving his technique for her sake when dancing with her wasn't even a guarantee. Blossom scolded herself for jumping to the conclusion that he might have more-than-friendly feelings for her instead of merely establishing a common interest. He didn't do romantic relationships and she wasn't ready to be in another one, but she couldn't deny being attracted to certain qualities he possessed. Brick was intelligent, pragmatic, ambitious, well-mannered, and generally composed. But his anger was unpredictable and he was incredibly full of himself. If he had more humility she probably would've fallen hard and fast for him.

Onlookers applauded when both performances ended. The redheads bowed and curtsied respectively, then made for a nearby alley so as not to draw more attention while they headed back to Townsville. It was strange going from bright afternoon sunshine to a darkened cityscape, but Blossom enjoyed the sense of familiarity. Their friends greeted them exuberantly when they landed on the roof of Evergreen Tower, half of them waving from the hot tub as she sighed. "You guys… we have school tomorrow, you know!"

"Exactly. Time for you all to head home." Brick flame-dried clothes for those who needed it, put away the leftovers, then he and Butch thanked everybody for their presents and company as they filed out. Blossom was the last to leave, turning to cup Brick's cheek with one hand and pressing a soft kiss to the other. Butch was just as stunned by the action as his brother.

"Thank you, and happy birthday," Blossom said, giving him a demure smile. "I hope it was one to remember."


	13. You Come Through for Me Again

**Chapter Thirteen: You come through for me again**

Bubbles was in heaven.

Not literally, but it seemed like she might float into the sky until reaching a divine realm or escaping Earth altogether, and she knew without a doubt that Boomer would be right there with her. Even though they currently stood in the midst of an enormous crowd as some big-name DJ drew out the buildup before an epic drop, the young couple felt like they were the only two people in existence. They had been up since eight o'clock that morning, perusing waterfront shops and grabbing a bite to eat before heading to the festival grounds. It had the kind of atmosphere where complete strangers acted like they'd been friends all their lives because everyone was there to enjoy the music. Bubbles and Boomer tried to remain inconspicuous by walking everywhere, but now that it was ten at night and their feet were sore, they hovered an inch above the grass for some relief.

Their shared weightlessness enhanced the euphoric sensation that came with the drop, deep bass washing over the audience. With Boomer's arms wrapped tight around her and his mouth pressed to the crook of her neck, Bubbles felt both his smile and the goosebumps it elicited. He in turn felt the shiver that ran down her spine, somehow managing to pull her even closer. The humidity left them hot and sweaty, their dancing reduced to gentle swaying as the sun sank below the horizon. Neither wanted to dwell on the fact that this was the last set they would hear before having to go home, but as if knowing that, the DJ's track selection ensured the final night of their weekend getaway was one to remember.

The melody picked back up and Bubbles started shifting again, letting synths dictate the motions of her hips. Boomer wished he could show her how wild she drove him when she moved like that. He didn't want to go back to Townsville, he wanted to return to their hotel room and establish their own rhythm as they melted and fused together. That was what he liked most about being in love, reaching the point where they exchanged parts of themselves with each other. Boomer thought they were ready but Bubbles wanted to wait a little longer. She told him that things got awkward when she jumped over relationship milestones to get physical with her boyfriend in Tokyo, and she didn't want that to happen with Boomer. They would have sex eventually, just not now.

That didn't stop Boomer from attempting to make it sooner rather than later.

After gathering their belongings, checking out of the hotel, and holding hands during the entire flight home, they drifted through the center window to Bubbles' room and alighted on her plush carpet. She set her bag down before Boomer embraced her, nuzzling the top of her head. Her hair smelled like coconut and ocean wind. "Is your dad home?" he murmured.

"Yeah, his car's here," Bubbles answered. She knew he was really asking if he could stay for a while. "It's late and we have school tomorrow. We need to get some rest."

Boomer pouted. "But I can't sleep without you."

"You did it your whole life," she returned, gently pushing him back toward the window.

"Yeah, well, I didn't know what I was missing till I got to snuggle with you all night." He ducked his head to kiss her then, hearing her sigh against his lips. "C'mon, let me stay. Promise I'll be quiet."

Bubbles blushed, looking away so he wouldn't see the conflict in her eyes. She wasn't worried about him being noisy as much as herself; she got rather vocal during their makeout sessions, sighs and moans and giggles directing his actions. Bubbles did not trust herself to keep any nocturnal liaisons discreet. She drew in a breath and met his gaze. "Not tonight, Boomer." He appeared slightly disappointed yet respected her decision. "But… soon."

His hold tightened on her waist. "You don't know how bad I wanna unwrap you for my birthday."

"Oh, I think I have an idea," she said with a smug little grin. As if she hadn't noticed him grinding on her or feeling her up while their bodies were pressed together so tightly there had been no room for air. Bubbles gave him a deep kiss to hopefully tide him over. "I had so much fun this weekend and I hope you did, too. Thanks for inviting me."

"I had a blast. Best birthday ever."

She tittered. "I'm glad. Now, go home so I can get my beauty sleep."

"Okaaay…" Boomer paused above the sill. They had only been dating for two months but he already wanted tell Bubbles that he loved her. It _had_ to be love; no one else ever made his heart soar just by _looking_ at them. They had been swept up not by a whirlwind romance but a strong, steady, lasting breeze. He couldn't wait to see where it carried them. "Good night, Bubbles." It wasn't the same as saying it before falling asleep at her side, but at least he would be with her at school tomorrow.

Boomer touched down atop the penthouse and unlocked the roof exit. "I'm back!" he announced while descending the stairs. He found his brothers standing in the front doorway with bewildered expressions on their faces. "Uh, hello? What's with you two?"

Butch snapped out of it at that. "Hey! Whoa, you're back late. How was the festival?"

"Fantastic, thanks for asking. How was the party?"

"Pretty good. I did somethin' dumb, though." Boomer cocked his head to the left. "Buttercup saw my room."

He cringed at the mental image, then waved a hand in front of Brick's face. "Are you okay?"

Maroon eyes blinked rapidly to return to the present. "Boomer, hi, yes, I'm fine. Did you have fun in Acapulco?"

"Greatest day of my life." He raised an eyebrow. "Why're you guys standing here with the door wide open like total weirdos?"

Brick closed it. "Everyone just left."

"Blossom kissed him!" Butch blurted, earning one look of disbelief and another of irritation. "On the cheek," he added.

"Blossom kissed him on the cheek?" Boomer parroted. "Why'd she do that?"

"Do I look like a fucking mind-reader?" Brick spat, stomping off to his room. "Who knows why Blossom does half the things she does…" He paused at the threshold. "There's a present for you from her on the coffee table. Good night."

Boomer rolled his eyes before inspecting the small gift. "You'd think getting kissed would put him in a good mood, not a shitty one."

"It sorta came outta nowhere," Butch explained. "She just stopped and kissed him and then kept walkin'. Can't believe I saw it with my own eyes." They widened as a thought occurred to him. "Did dancin' with Bubbles ever go horizontal?"

"None of your business," Boomer said. The armband he unwrapped looked to be just the right size for his phone. He slid it into the slot, gasping when the display went holographic without any prompting. "This is so cool!"

Butch studied him for a moment. "It _is_ my business 'cause once you two get super serious that means I can be with Buttercup."

Boomer snorted. "In your dreams, maybe. Hey, are there any leftovers?" He flew to the fridge before Butch could answer in the affirmative, carrying a whole box of pizza upstairs. He and Bubbles had skipped dinner in order not to miss the final set. As a consequence he was starving, but thinking about Bubbles only made him yearn to sate another type of hunger. Butch wouldn't be the only one dreaming of a Powerpuff Girl that night.

Monday was uneventful as always, except Brick found it difficult to maintain focus despite the monotony of his routine. He kept wondering why Blossom had kissed him, why she turned back instead of heading to the elevator with the rest of their friends. She was a rational person, not an impulsive one, so there had to be a reason for it. He wanted to ask her directly but in their two shared classes words failed him after he took one look at her, like his brain short-circuited or something. Whenever they made eye contact he felt a blush begin in his ears and turn his whole face an unsightly shade of pink, curse his fair complexion. Why couldn't he get over the fact that Blossom's lips were on his cheek for a single second? They had already kissed on the mouth for fuck's sake, even if it was just a dare. There was no logical reason why such a chaste gesture should turn Brick into an inarticulate fool.

He had a council meeting after school to finalize the annual class competition, which would occur during a beach party with the entire student body. The senior council planned it for the end of May since they'd be graduating early June. "Can you believe there's less than two months left?" Susie remarked on their way out of Miss Keane's office, where they had to submit activities for her approval. "Five more Ultimate games and that's the season. It flew by so quickly…"

"Tell me about it," Wes groaned. "My dad set up this workplace study thing for me at his hospital so I'm going to be there _all summer_. I wanted to go to Cambodia with my mom!"

Brick tuned out their lamenting of missed opportunities. Susie's comment had reminded him about the Morbucks gala that weekend, the gala still requiring a tuxedo. He kept forgetting what he was supposed to be doing, distracted by homework, organizing events, reading, and taking day trips to beautiful cities with a pretty girl who held his hand and kissed his cheek. _Why_ couldn't he get over it? Why couldn't he put Blossom out of mind in order to do his job, his _real_ job, the one he'd get paid lots of money for completing? It didn't seem that important any more. There were other things he cared about now, things that made him happier than material possessions.

The Rowdyruffs arrived at the gala via limousine in order to appear normal and innocuous to Max's other guests. Princess perpetuated the façade by parading Brick around as her arm candy. Boomer and Butch were better at mingling than him so he had no doubts they could act casual until their target appeared. He endured Princess' nasally voice while she engaged in inane conversations with the most pretentious people he'd ever associated with. Most of them were glad to brag about supporting some of Townsville's art programs while calling them frivolous the next second. The advancement of their high society depended on technology like the Aegis Project, which would make everyone with a finger in that pie even wealthier once quantum networking was implemented worldwide.

Princess abruptly gripped his arm and pointed across the terrace. Scott Fields was the primary benefactor of Townsville's third-largest genome research group and the penultimate name on Max's list. Brick assessed the man in an instant. He looked harmless, cherubic even, but he was a philanderer who'd been cheating on his wife for three years. Weak for succumbing to his base desires and cowardly for sneaking around behind her back. Getting Fields to withdraw his funding was as simple as blackmail. If he refused, the details of his affair would go public. The man agreed after the Ruffs cornered him, sniveling and whining about how he needed his wife's money to achieve his own success which was just plain pathetic to Brick. Anything gained without expending personal effort was something that could be taken away and used against him. That was why he refused to accept favors.

As Fields scurried away to the safety of the other guests, Max intercepted the Boys. "It's finished?" he asked. Brick nodded. "Excellent. Just one left and then there won't be anyone to stand in my way."

"What're you gonna do when we're done?" Brick shot Butch a hard look. What happened afterward wasn't their business, they were only supposed to do the job and get paid. Eliminate financial competition for Maximilian Morbucks. No questions.

He didn't seem to mind the query, however. "You'll find out if you stick around Townsville."

"We won't be," Brick stated, earning a slight scowl from Boomer although that had been the plan before they even left Busan. "We'll be going now. Thanks for your hospitality." While waiting for their driver to bring the limo, Brick heard a camera shutter and turned to find Boomer posing for a selfie. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Showing Bubbles how dashing I look in a tux," he replied. Brick watched him make a few more faces until snatching the white Nervo from his hand. "Hey! Gimme my phone back!" He did so after deleting the pictures. "The fuck was that for? You're being more of an asshole than usual lately!"

"And you've exhibited an astounding lack of good judgment lately," Brick retorted. "We're supposed to be _covert_. Sending selfies of yourself wearing a tuxedo at the Morbucks mansion will only invite questions from Bubbles."

"I'm not an _idiot_ ," Boomer shot back, "I haven't told her about the stuff we've been doing for Max." He got situated in the limo with a huff. "Butch is right, you need to get laid. Every time something happens between you and Blossom you get all pissy. It's obviously sexual frustration."

Brick only stared at him. Butch's gaze darted between his siblings as he tensed in preparation for another verbal showdown. Eventually the redhead turned to look out the window and mumbled, "You're wrong."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." He sighed. "I'm just stressed."

"That's bullshit. You always used to be chill until we fought bad guys, then you took everything out on them. But since we came here and you started getting close to _Blossom_ , you lash out at _us_ for no reason." Blue eyes narrowed. "Is it because you like her and don't know how to handle it?"

Brick scoffed. "I do like her, but not in the way you like Bubbles. I like having Blossom for a friend."

Boomer was dubious. "You're gonna sit there and tell me you haven't had a single dirty thought about Blossom? You've never even wondered how she looks naked?"

"Have _you?_ "

"Sure. I think she resembles a woman from a Greek mythology painting, like… 'The Birth of Venus'. Cabanel, not Botticelli." Boomer shrugged. "You're allowed to be attracted to Blossom. Maybe if you admitted it instead of believing you're 'above' feelings like that, you wouldn't be so frustrated over a simple kiss."

"You don't get to tell me how to feel!" Brick shouted, but his brother only sat back with a knowing smirk on his lips. Boomer knew fuck-all about Brick's emotions. He didn't lust after girls at first sight like Butch. He didn't fall in love with every girl who was kind to him like Boomer. He didn't experience attraction the same way as them; there was a vast difference between appreciating beautiful women and wanting to put his dick in them. Brick admired a lot about Blossom, including her aesthetics, but he didn't feel a desire to sleep with her. Even if he did, he wouldn't act on it at the risk of sabotaging the relationship they had fostered over the last seven months. It was worth much more to him than satisfying the primitive human urge to mate, which he certainly _was_ above.

* * *

"Can I get your attention, everyone? I have some exciting news!" Boomer didn't look away from his computer monitor since he doubted there was anything the teacher of his Media Design class could say that interested him. The curriculum mostly consisted of analyzing advertisements and discussing current trends, rarely requiring him to utilize his artistic skills. "As you know, our very own Buttercup Utonium is signed with Lux Management, Townsville's exclusive talent agency. Several local models including Miss Buttercup herself were recently chosen to do a photoshoot for an independent swimwear designer." Students began whispering at that. "Now, it's my understanding that the crew handling the shoot is rather small and put out a request for volunteers. I thought this could be a great opportunity for you to participate in an important step of the ad creation process!"

More murmurs of intrigue arose. "Are you saying we get to work with hot chicks in bikinis?" a boy asked, leering at Buttercup. Boomer saw her jaw clench as irritation flitted across her visage, but she said nothing.

Their teacher blinked at the question. "Well, it's a shoot for women's _swimwear_ …"

"I'm sold!" someone else called. "When is it?"

"Next Thursday, May second. You will all attend your first couple classes as usual, but instead of heading to third period we'll meet at the gate by nine-thirty in order to catch a bus to the beachfront park." The woman paused to rummage around her desk. "The shoot director gave me a list of things to bring if any of you feel so inclined. I'll post it on the bulletin board." Boomer paused to peruse it when the bell rang. Towels, light jackets, hair styling products, cosmetics… It sounded like the team was understaffed _and_ ill-equipped. They were a tiny indie company, though, so they must simply be lacking resources. Either that or they'd blown most of their budget hiring models.

The following Thursday Boomer boarded the bus to the beach with his classmates where they discovered a very impromptu setup. There were two trucks parked on the grass, one full of swimsuits and the other containing photography equipment. A picnic shelter had been turned into a makeshift changing room with the help of rope and sheets. Twenty attractive young ladies stood idly by, more than the five crew members could handle.

The director was a middle-aged woman named Christine. She made the Media Design students wear name tags because she didn't want to refer to them all as "you" or "kid". The photographer was Jason, his assistant was Mark, the makeup artist was Sheryl, and the gofer was a college freshman named Daniel. Their company was based in New York and they wanted to try branching out in the States before going international. Since there was a lot of money floating around Townsville, the owner and lead designer, Rani Mishra, decided to tap the local market. Her summer collection featured pieces named after goddesses from various pantheons. Christine's orders went like "Emily in the red Athena, Raven in the green Freya, Kate in the black Isis" but she faltered when she got to Buttercup. "You give me an interesting vibe," she commented, "yet I can't put my finger on what exactly it is."

"It's probably 'cause I'm superhuman," Buttercup answered.

Christine's eyes widened dramatically. "A _superhuman?_ Why wouldn't your agency mention it? There was nothing about special powers in your profile!" Buttercup shrugged. She wasn't responsible for writing her bio on Lux's website. "Oh, I'm going to have _so_ much fun working with you! I think I want you to start off in the violet Ishtar. It's that two-piece at the end of the rack," she said to the students struggling to locate it.

For the first time in her life Buttercup felt self-conscious after changing into the bikini. What would people at school think of her now? Adding to her unease was the fact that the photographer kept having trouble with his camera; he'd take a few shots and then frown at the screen. "Damn thing's not focusing correctly…" Jason mumbled, giving it a shake as if that would solve the problem.

"Wanna try mine?" Boomer grabbed his Nikon from his backpack. "Here."

The man's jaw hit the ground. "Holy shit, you've got the D850? I've been trying to persuade Rani to buy me one of these!" Jason beamed like a kid on Christmas morning. "Christine, look! Look what he's letting me use!" The woman merely motioned for him to get on with it. He had Buttercup wade up to her thighs in the water, but it wasn't so cold that it bothered her. A classmate eagerly handed her a towel when she got out, examining her thrice-over. During a break to nosh on the lunch Daniel was sent to pick up, Buttercup watched a few of her peers hit on the models around their age with little success. She smirked as one girl gave the boys the cold shoulder but gladly exchanged numbers with the out-and-proud lesbian in their class, leaving them flabbergasted, then she got back to work.

Three hours later the session had almost ended. The director redid several shots because certain suits didn't look good on certain body types according to her, although Rani chose Lux Management because of their diverse talent. Buttercup was a standout for being young, tall and athletic, possessing an ideal mesomorphic female build, and Christine overtly favored her. She put the Puff in an intricate lurex monokini that required Mark's help to position just-so; Buttercup hated being touched by strangers but suffered it for the job. Sheryl did her makeup next, putting tribal-esque lines and dots on her face, and Jason had her lay on the shore while he took overhead shots from atop a ladder. "Stretch those legs. Raise your arm. Give me bedroom eyes." She doubted her ability to wear a "do me" look but evidently the man was satisfied with her expression. "Yes, beautiful. Arch your back a bit more… great! You're perfect!"

Finally Buttercup was permitted to stop sprawling in the sand, brushing granules from her skin. She decided she liked the swimsuit despite its complexity. There was a clause in her contract stating she got to keep what she wore during shoots if she so chose, which was how she'd acquired the more expensive garments comprising her wardrobe. The monokini's style and color combination, 'Kali' in 'Prism', would retail for $500. She went to change into her normal clothes when a notion struck. "Hey, Boomer." He came right over. "Will you take a picture of me and send it to Butch?"

The mischievous glimmer in his eyes was all the answer she needed. Boomer retrieved his camera after the contents of the SD card had been transferred to a laptop, then he glanced around for an ideal spot. There was a sandy ledge behind the picnic shelter that provided both privacy and good angles. "What kinda pose were you thinking?"

"A sexy one… but I don't want it to look too forced," she answered.

Boomer thought for a moment. "You're really tall, so maybe you should kneel?" Now he could get a better close-up. "Tilt your head and pull your hips back. Hmm… run your hand through your hair. Okay, that's good." He lay on his stomach and started snapping. "Do that thing with your mouth like in the perfume ad." Buttercup's lips barely parted as she donned her signature smirk. " _Hot_. You trying to kill my brother? He's gonna die when he sees you." She gave a small laugh and he made sure to capture her smile.

They sat together on the bus back to school, deciding which photo would be most effective for trolling Butch. Boomer took advantage of any opportunity to do so but Buttercup had a different motive. She was testing him, intentionally objectifying herself for him. She'd adjust her behavior going forward depending how he responded.

Brick was jarred from his deep state of concentration by a deafening clatter overhead. Since Butch had gone straight to their home gym after school to do some heavy lifting, he flew upstairs to investigate any possible damage. "Are you all right?" he asked upon entering the room. Butch didn't answer. He'd been bench pressing, that much was obvious, but one end of the barbell now rested on his chest at a precarious angle, like he'd dropped it on himself. The other end had done considerable damage to the hardwood floor. "What happened?" Still no answer. He stared at something on his phone with more intensity than Brick had ever seen. "Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?" He summoned a small flame right in front of Butch's nose and it took him a few seconds to recoil.

"Stop it…" he said distractedly, waving at the fire.

Brick frowned. "Did you not hear me? You just dented the floor. This wood isn't cheap, you know."

Green eyes flicked from the indent back to his screen. "My bad."

"That's all you have to say?"

"Sorry." Butch left the bench and went to the roof, his sibling incredulous. He slumped into a patio chair and released the pent-up breath he didn't know he'd withheld.

He was the strongest member of the Rowdyruff Boys. He could endure any type of physical assault and come out swinging; depending on the nature of the attack it even made him more powerful. But Butch was far from impervious to emotional blows and Boomer knew exactly how to hit him where it hurt. _"Here's an impossibly attractive picture of the girl you want with every fiber of your being but can't have. Enjoy!"_ His younger brother was such a bastard sometimes.

Boomer's Nervo chimed as soon as he and Buttercup returned to Townsville High. He checked it, smirking, but then his brow knitted. "What'd Butch say?" she wondered, hovering over his shoulder.

"Dunno, it's not English."

Indeed, the text was French. _Ma déesse_ , "my goddess". A good answer to the test.

* * *

At the end of May, Friday the 31st, the entire student body of Townsville High gathered at the same park where Buttercup's photoshoot was held, only the weather had gotten much nicer since then. The sea of teenagers wearing shorts, tank tops, hats, and swimming attire listened to the sixteen members of their councils as they explained that the annual class competition would consist of building sandcastles; whichever grade made the most aesthetically-pleasing one was the winner. They were permitted to utilize any naturally-occurring material found on the beach such as shells, seaweed, and driftwood. Bubbles immediately volunteered to help with the design meaning Boomer would be participating as well since they were all but glued at the hip. The teams set to work with a time limit of four hours.

Brick and Mimi took on the duty of preparing food for 1200 students. They had help from others who were currently in or had taken Culinary Arts since food handlers permits were earned through the class, and several dishes had been made in advance, but there were still a great many burgers, hot dogs, and vegetables to grill. Thankfully Brick's pyrokinesis expedited that process as a line of hungry people began forming at noon. From his shaded spot beneath the picnic shelter he also kept a watchful eye on everyone, especially his siblings, but Boomer was engrossed in building the sandcastle with Bubbles while Butch and Buttercup played volleyball on opposite teams. Blossom laid out her towel and rested on her stomach, burying her nose in a book. Brick continually glanced over as she kicked her feet back and forth. She wore a floppy hat, an aqua one-piece with side cutouts, and a sheer pink sarong that succeeded in lending her posterior even more enticing curves. He stared so long he burned a batch of zucchini slices for which Mimi berated him. "It's fine, Butch will eat them," he assured.

In fact Butch helped himself to one of everything after the volleyball game concluded, sitting down with Mike, Lloyd, Floyd, and Mitch. "Wow," the last remarked in slight awe, "never seen you put away that much grub."

Lloyd waved it off. "This is nothing. You should've seen him after our football games away." Mike's head bobbed in confirmation.

"Butch ate _more_ than this?" Floyd gawked.

The Ruff in question was too busy shoveling food into his mouth to utter a word, and his attention was also fixated on Buttercup while she, Susie, and Robin splashed each other in the surf. She was… fascinating. There were so many versions of her and they were all girls Butch admired and wanted to be with. The snarky tomboy, the confident combatant, the sexy model, the serious athlete, the dauntless superhero. He hoped, wished, prayed that someday he could also refer to her as his lover, preferably without "imaginary" or "secret" preceding it.

Deep down Butch knew he had to stop pining after Buttercup. He'd be better off finding somebody else to occupy his time, like Leigh, and he was aware that many girls had the hots for him. It should've been easy choosing one when he was surrounded by hundreds in minimal clothing, but then Buttercup removed her shorts and cropped top, turning his latest dreams into reality. She wasn't just wearing a swimsuit, she was wearing _the_ swimsuit, the strappy one in the picture Boomer sent him at the beginning of the month. The one Butch wanted to remove with his teeth.

"Is he staring?" Buttercup questioned upon reuniting with Susie and Robin in the water.

"Oh yeah," the former answered, "and so is the rest of the straight male population."

Robin's bright blue eyes gave her friend a once-over. "How does that thing even stay on?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure it will." Buttercup examined herself as well. "I figured out how to connect all the straps without anyone's help but I haven't swam in it, so I guess we'll find out."

Susie rolled her eyes, smiling. "I bet the guys would just _love_ for you to have a wardrobe malfunction."

She was trying to fluster Butch, not give the whole school an accidental peep show. When the rest of her friends finished eating they joined the three girls and proposed a chicken fight. Robin and Mike teamed up without a word, Lloyd supported his slender brother, and Mitch grabbed Susie. Buttercup elbowed Butch, grinning. "Want me on top?" He audibly gulped and crouched so she could climb onto his broad shoulders.

"No fair! You guys are like ten feet tall!" Robin whined.

"Remember that saying, Ro– the bigger they are, the harder they fall!" Susie and Mitch made a beeline for the green-eyed duo but they were too zealous. Buttercup leaned sideways to avoid being grabbed and Susie lost her balance, tumbling into the ocean. During that movement Butch gripped Buttercup's legs to hold her steady, fighting the urge to caress her lines of hard muscle. His focus remained on the feel of her thighs flexing around his head, not their surroundings. The twins snuck up behind them and shoved Buttercup off, earning a very feminine shriek. She surfaced with a laugh, the sound of pure joy to Butch's ears, then went ashore, pausing to glance over her shoulder at him. He followed, biting his lip as she raked her fingers through her hair to fix the part. That mindless habit of hers was so damn sexy.

"Brick's cooking any good?" she inquired. Butch nodded, maintaining his utterly enamored countenance as she dried off and redressed, his hands twitching like crazy until he shoved them in the pockets of his board shorts. Buttercup looked down at her sister. "Wanna get some food, Bloss?"

"Oh, sure. I just have a couple pages of this chapter left…" They waited for the minute it took her to finish, bookmarking her spot. Blossom hopped up to adjust her sarong. "Did I miss anything?"

Buttercup shrugged. "Not really. I kicked Butch's ass at volleyball and discovered that I can actually swim in this monokini."

"Well that's good. Form and function, the best of both worlds." Her sister appeared quite pleased with herself as the three of them grabbed paper plates. When they got to Brick he narrowly regarded his brother.

"I distinctly recall handing you five items from the grill already. Save some for everyone else, won't you?"

Butch pouted. "C'mon, Bro, I'm starvin'. Been burnin' calories all day."

"Yeah, c'mon, Brick." Buttercup poked at Butch's torso. "He's a growing guy who needs protein to maintain these rippling muscles. Gimme a burger and one of those big-ass mushrooms, please. What kind of cheese is that?"

Both boys were stunned by her off-handed compliment of Butch's physique. "Uhh, it's Swiss… I can do cheddar if you prefer." Swiss was fine. Buttercup proffered her plate, thanked him, and moved on to toppings and condiments. Butch received two hot dogs in silence, blushing like crazy. Blossom took a moment to consider her options.

"Hmm… what are the mushrooms stuffed with?" she asked, unintentionally beaming at Brick. For someone so stoic he looked quite adorable in his apron while holding a spatula in one hand. His outfit was the most casual one she had seen so far: cargo shorts, plaid button-up, sneakers, and a new red baseball cap atop his head. He resembled any other carefree teenager preparing to enjoy summer break. The thought of spending time with him outside of school made Blossom's heart beat faster in anticipation. They could see movies, go to museums, and shop for books. She considered showing him around Mexico City, her home for a year, in exchange for taking her to Seville. Hopefully he'd enjoy it as much as she had.

"Olive tapenade," he replied. "It's pretty good in my opinion, though I would've done it differently." Blossom requested the portobello. A strange feeling came over Brick while he watched her load her plate with other offerings. It wasn't jealousy; who did he have to be jealous of? More like… like he wanted her to only eat what he made so she'd know how great he was at cooking, how he could provide the most basic human need for sustenance but with a level of refinement other people didn't deserve. She'd appreciate the nuances of his culinary creations, from the layering of flavors to the methodology to his meticulous sourcing of ingredients. He hadn't used the Manchegan saffron yet, saving it for a dish that would elicit that sound of pleasure Blossom had exuded upon biting into his handcrafted truffles.

Brick took a break from manning the grill to judge the sandcastles with the other student council members. The freshmen had tried very hard and theirs was the largest, but it lacked pizzazz. The sophomores put forth minimal effort, probably because they felt it was futile to compete against the juniors. Their castle featured seashell trim, tiny flags made from sticks and kelp adorning the parapets, and windows formed from bits of glass. The senior sandcastle had been modeled after the real Hunyadi Castle in Romania complete with a moat, an impressive feat they had accomplished by sculpting sand around pieces of driftwood to form the buttresses. It was the unanimous victor. The prize, in addition to whatever prestige came from winning the annual class competition, was gourmet chocolate to be used for making s'mores around the bonfires that night.

Although the weather had been plenty warm while the sun was out it cooled off significantly once it set, and Bubbles was among those who had not brought an outer layer. Boomer offered his hoodie as soon as she shivered. They clung to one another while sitting in the sand, occasionally contributing to whatever conversation the cheerleaders engaged in overhead. Dee Dee and Mimi were going to a ballet academy in Russia a mere three weeks after graduating, and Bubbles tried not to cry when she thought about that. They had been her friends for almost a decade; she would turn eighteen on August 20th and they wouldn't be able to celebrate with her. But they wanted to become members of world-famous dance companies and Russia was a good place to hone their techniques, so Bubbles could hardly hold it against them. Besides, it wasn't like she couldn't just fly there on a whim.

Since it was too dark to read Blossom attempted to roast marshmallows to golden perfection, handing her failures off to Robin and Mike. They had stuck together all day, making her wonder if romantic sparks would finally ignite that summer after crackling between them for so long. Blossom then chided herself for being nosy about their relationship. She was probably trying to live a little vicariously through them, imagining the relationship that could have unfolded with Dexter last year. If only she hadn't studied abroad in Mexico, gotten the job at Café Een, or volunteered to help with the Aegis Project. If only she'd made more of an effort to include Dexter and invite him to hang out with her other friends. If only their schedules aligned. If only she'd gotten something saying how much he wanted and needed to see her, be with her, _feel_ her.

If only.

Blossom got so lost in thought that her latest marshmallow turned to ash at the end of her skewer. She'd be better off if she could adopt Brick's motto: "the past is in the past". But she couldn't do that, always considering the what-ifs. It was simply how her analytical brain worked. As if sensing her musings Dexter himself cleared his throat behind her. She whirled, wide-eyed, and he smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Do you have a minute? Can I talk to you?"

"Me?" she clarified, like wanting to chat with her was so improbable. "Talk about what?"

"It concerns… your origins."

Dexter didn't do vague, he always said exactly what he meant with distinct clarity. Blossom also noticed the way his eyes darted to someone seated opposite the fire. The only people of major importance there were Brick, Buttercup, and her guy friends including Butch. "My origins?" she repeated.

"Yes, sort of. Possibly." Out of genuine concern for what Dexter had to say, Blossom wandered away from the fire with him. "Have you been following genetic editing news lately?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Not really. The Professor tells us things from time to time, like breakthroughs made by his collective, but that's about it."

"Well, there have been more than a few upsets in the field this year."

"What kinds of upsets?"

"Financial ones. Most if not all of the genome-based research groups in Townsville have lost their initial investors and are now being supported by one person– Maximilian Morbucks." Blossom's raised eyebrow indicated he should go on. "There isn't much hard evidence so I'm mostly postulating, but it's very odd for benefactors who've been invested in aggregates for years to suddenly pull their funding. And it's too suspicious that the Morbucks family is now privately funding them all."

Blossom mulled it over. "That doesn't make much sense. The Morbucks became wealthy by investing in businesses and real estate. Genetic editing is still a relatively new science that is strictly regulated. What would they hope to gain by supporting a field that isn't guaranteed to earn a profit?"

"I'm not sure. I'm still trying to figure out what happened to the initial backers of the research groups, and I found a potential lead. Look at this…" Dexter showed her a blurry photograph on his phone. "This was taken by a paparazzo who snuck into a private gala the Morbucks held last month. Does that guy on Princess' arm look familiar?"

Blossom swallowed as her mouth went dry. "That's… Brick." He wore a tuxedo and his hair was styled differently than usual but she recognized him nonetheless; there really weren't many tall redheaded men in Townsville. He hadn't so much as mentioned attending a party at the mansion least of all as Princess' date. An ugly feeling coursed through her then, something akin to betrayal. All year Brick had been stating how asinine it was that the Powerpuffs had to repress their abilities while on campus. He knew Princess was the reason why they took Antidote X and had never expressed a modicum of interest in her before, so why on earth would he be with her at such a formal event? Blossom's mind raced to find a grain of logic among this information Dexter had presented.

"Yes, it's Brick," he confirmed. "I contacted the photographer and he said all three Rowdyruffs were at the gala. Here's Butch and Boomer talking with some people." Blossom didn't need to see the picture to believe it; the Ruffs functioned as a unit. "A GE benefactor named Scott Fields was also there, and he withdrew from his group without warning two days later. Don't you think that's suspicious? It's not the first time, either. Here's a photo of an artist at their gallery opening with their investor, a woman who also backed a research collective, and if you look behind them…"

They were barely in frame but Blossom could see that the Ruffs had been present. "What are you trying to tell me, Dexter?" she demanded. "Are you insinuating the Rowdyruff Boys are responsible for the GE backers abandoning their aggregates and allowing Princess' father to take over?"

He nervously shifted his weight. "I suppose I am. You have to admit it's extremely coincidental, Blossom. The first unexpected loss of funding occurred in late September, after those Boys came to Townsville. And they live in Evergreen Tower, you know."

"I know that!" she almost snapped. They lived at the very top of the building that was a great source of pride for the Morbucks family. Theoretically they could have been given the penthouse in exchange for doing favors for Maximilian, but Blossom really didn't want to entertain that notion. She didn't want to start suspecting they had returned to Townsville to do anything other than get an education like Brick said at orientation. But… what if he lied? What if he'd been lying to her about _everything?_ It couldn't be true. The Boys had changed into good people, no longer mercenaries who worked in the shadows. The Puffs and Ruffs had each other now. The six of them were just ordinary teenagers with bright futures.

Dexter felt a bit guilty for causing her consternation. "I came to you with this because I know you've gotten fairly close to Brick over the course of the year. I'm not being petty or jealous, you know me that well, but I thought in case… in case you have more profound feelings for him…" Blossom looked up sharply at that. "I don't want to see you get hurt, okay? Brick might not be as nice as he acts." He heaved a sigh. "I hope I'm wrong about them, honestly. Bubbles seems so happy with Boomer, Buttercup's no longer being ostracized, and you, Blossom… you deserve everything I couldn't give you. I just—"

"You're wrong," she cut in. "Brick is my friend. I don't have feelings for him beyond that." Unless being slightly more attracted to his physical appearance than before counted as "profound".

Dexter nodded and started to walk away, pausing to turn back. "Friends can still hurt you, though. If I had your skills I would've dug much deeper into this matter, but all I could do was scratch the surface."

Blossom folded her arms. Use her hacking skills to uncover the whole truth, hm? Dexter would feel so foolish for accusing the Rowdyruffs of working with Maximilian Morbucks. He was a greedy man, plain and simple. Maybe he hoped one of the research groups would discover the secret to eternal youth or something ridiculous like that. She should probably have a conversation with the Professor about the goals of his collective.

But it could wait until later, after her junior year came to an end in exactly two weeks.


	14. The Summer is Calling Your Name

**Chapter Fourteen: The summer is calling your name**

Last-minute assignments. Final tests. Turning in textbooks. Cleaning. Annuals. A farewell assembly. The end of the school year.

Although Boomer never joined Yearbook Club he inadvertently contributed to it during his first semester Photography class. Several candid pictures he'd taken made it into the annual, including the one of Brick scowling at the camera while drinking his cappuccino during the Homecoming game. Much to Brick's annoyance that was the photo everyone wanted him to sign. Butch, on the other hand, gladly scribbled his name across whichever of the many snapshots of him people proffered. He felt like a celebrity doling out autographs to adoring fans.

Next came the graduation ceremony. Brick wanted to say goodbye to the senior council members he'd grown to respect and Boomer was there with Bubbles as she cheered for Dee Dee and Mimi. The latter was salutatorian and Li Leigh was valedictorian, both delivering poignant speeches about the lasting friendships they had made and learning skills that would help them achieve success in life. Bubbles bawled her eyes out, and when the ceremony ended with the seniors throwing their caps into the air she grabbed two giant bouquets of flowers and brought them to her friends. "Hey, sweetie," Mimi greeted, hugging her tightly, "please don't cry for us. We're going to see you up until the day we leave. That's three whole weeks we still have together." That just made Bubbles cry harder so Dee Dee embraced her as well.

"And it's not like we're gonna be gone forever!" the tall blonde reassured. "Our program is less than a year long! We'll probably be back before _you_ graduate!"

"R-really?" Bubbles sniffled. "That'd be… that'd be great."

"And we're still on social media, just in a different timezone. We can chat and give you updates!"

Right, it wasn't like they were dropping off the face of the earth, just undergoing intensive training for a while. They'd complete the program, join a ballet company, and become famous primas. That was Dee Dee and Mimi's shared dream. Bubbles was unsure if she wanted to join them, go to art school, or try being a veterinarian, but she still had time to decide. She knew she should stop thinking so far ahead and focus on the present, appreciate everyone surrounding her with love while she had them. Boomer held her as a mixture of sad and happy tears dampened his shirt, smiling gently. "Y'know, for what it's worth, _I'm_ not going anywhere."

Bubbles pulled back to wipe her cheeks. "I know, and I'm glad. Mike, Robin, and Julie are sticking around for a while, too. We should all try hanging out this summer."

"I'll do anything as long as it's with you," Boomer said, which may have been super mushy but it made Bubbles feel better. She clung to him while he sought his brothers, seeing Brick shake hands with Mimi and then look mildly alarmed when she hugged him. He watched Butch make his way through the crowd to Leigh and give her a single flower. She stood on tiptoes to hug him with one arm, thanking him. Boomer supposed that was as amiable a parting could be between fuck buddies.

June 10th was the actual last day of school for the underclassmen, but the fact that summer break was upon her didn't really hit Blossom until she got up at six o'clock as usual and found the house completely dark and quiet. "Oh…" she murmured to herself, "that's right." She spun on her heel and crawled back into bed with a sigh, groaning when her phone jingled.

 _You awake?_ Brick asked.

 _You too?_ she replied.

 _Forgot school was over._

 _Same. I got so used to the routine._

 _Since we're both up, want to get breakfast?_ he offered.

 _Sure. Where?_

 _Is Café Een okay? They really do make the best coffee in town._

That worked out perfectly because Blossom wanted to talk to her manager about taking on more hours. She left the house stealthily so as not to wake her family members and flew into the metro where Brick was already waiting, feigning a gasp of disbelief. "Brick Lucian wears _sweatpants?_ But that's not a perfectly polished outfit!"

He half-smiled while holding the door for her and said, "It's laundry day." She was still better dressed than him in leggings and an off-the-shoulder top, and she'd taken the time to tidy her braid whereas he'd hidden his bedhead beneath a baseball hat. The café was busy serving its regulars but they found an empty table in the front corner after ordering drinks, bagels, and fruit parfaits. Blossom preferred black tea in the morning while Brick opted for coffee with one cream and one sugar. The caffeine worked its magic and they both perked up enough to have a real conversation.

"So…" Blossom laced her fingers atop the table. "Can I interest you in a trip to Mexico at some point this summer?"

Brick sputtered before setting his mug down. "What?"

"I wanted to show you Mexico in exchange for taking me to Seville on your birthday," she elaborated. "I lived there my entire sophomore year but there were a few places I didn't get the chance to visit– Mazatlan, Guadalajara, Oaxaca, and the Yucatan Peninsula."

"That… sounds like more than a day trip."

"It would probably take a week, maybe longer depending how much culture you want to experience. You said you lived in Oaxaca, though, so we could skip it and go to Baja or something." Blossom tilted her head. "What do you think?"

What did he think? Traveling together was about to become his favorite hobby! "We should do it," Brick said, suppressing his enthusiasm, "but when?"

"Let's tentatively agree on August, before my birthday. I plan on working as much as possible to save up for this excursion."

"You know I can cover all the expenses without issue, Blossom…"

"Then you would be treating me again and I don't want that," she returned. "And don't even think about paying for our food. _I_ get the employee discount."

Brick raised his hands in surrender as Blossom went to the front counter, shelling out ten whole dollars for their impromptu yet productive breakfast date. She then spoke to her manager.

Townsville wasn't a tropical paradise or anything, but it was situated on the Pacific coast and drew its fair share of inland tourists during the summer months. Blossom didn't mind catering to the visitors since a lot of the ones her age left good tips, which Robin also wanted to hoard before her family's trip to Disney World. Three blocks east, Bubbles and Julie accepted more shifts at Heavenly Body, selling copious amounts of sunblock, self tanner, lotions, and hairspray for beachy waves. It helped Bubbles keep her mind off the fact that two of her best friends had gone to another continent, and she genuinely liked interacting with customers while utilizing her product expertise. Buttercup enjoyed having the house all to herself, lounging around until her agency summoned her to the office at the tail end of June. It seemed the owner of the swimwear company she modeled for last month had friends in high places because she had been invited to walk the runway for a haute couture designer during Paris Fashion Week followed by Miami Swim Week, which could very well catapult her career to new heights. Buttercup packed her bags and jetted off to France.

The Ruffs were significantly less productive than their female counterparts. Boomer kept whining about how he missed seeing Bubbles so often, Butch played video games in his underwear all day, and Brick couldn't find the motivation to research the final financier Max had hired them to intimidate. Once they got the person to abandon their research group there'd be no more reason to stay in Townsville… or at least no professional reason. Brick wasn't quite ready to acknowledge his personal feelings on the matter. Against his better judgment he had formed attachments to certain aspects of the city and to a certain girl who wanted to take him on an adventure. It'd be stupid to wait around for her for a whole month, right? They could go on mini adventures in the meantime, like to the opening of a new museum exhibit or Townsville's yearly tech expo.

Or, because Brick started overthinking how he and Blossom would be perceived in public together like the self-conscious teenage boy he secretly was deep down, he could work his way through the list of epic poetry she had recommended beginning with Homer's 'Iliad' and 'Odyssey'. Reading was a much safer way to occupy his time until August, no emotions required.

* * *

Independence Day consisted of a barbecue at Robin's house where Mike, the Rowdyruffs, the Professor, and his two daughters enjoyed tasty food and lighting off fireworks. After that, Bubbles' boss forced her to take a week off. She spent her break playing catch-up with her ballet class. Dee Dee and Mimi being gone meant she was now the eldest student and had to set a good example for the younger kids. It also meant she was in the spotlight during an exhibition to recruit new dancers, an attempt to convince anyone under eighteen who thought about taking ballet lessons to do so from Miss Irina Karpakova.

Bubbles managed to put a routine together, venturing into more contemporary territory rather than classical or neoclassical. Sinewy arms, dramatic floor work, lots of flashy splits and fan kicks. She set it to fast-paced music and even improvised a bit, just having fun with the choreography, and since it wasn't a big important show she didn't bother telling Blossom. It felt good to dance after being cooped up in the boutique. Someone she hadn't expected to see met her backstage afterward; Boomer presented her with an orange rose this time. "Omigosh, what're you doing here?!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. "I didn't tell anyone about this show!"

He grinned. "Well, firstly, it's open to the public. Secondly, I got notified by your teacher." Bubbles blinked several times at that. "Last year, after your fundraising recital, I made a donation to support the class and I've been getting updates since then."

"You… you donated? How much?"

"Enough to cover a few years," he answered. "You love dancing so I wanted to make sure you could keep doing it."

Bubbles felt her eyes begin to water and swiped at them before joyful tears fell. "That's so… that's so… nice!" She thanked him with a kiss that made his pulse quicken, gazing at him reverently from beneath her golden lashes. "You really are the sweetest boy ever, Boomer."

"Be sweeter if I could get some more sugar from you, Sugar." She smiled at her recently-acquired pet name as Boomer buried his nose in her hair. "I know we don't have to be together _all_ the time, but I miss you. Feels like forever since it was just us."

She gripped his shirt while pondering those words. Bubbles was a true extrovert, a people person, a social butterfly who considered herself pretty good at reading others and empathizing with them. She had noticed early on that Boomer exhibited the possessive tendency to place his hands on her while in the presence of other men, which she attributed to having two bigger brothers who could easily take things away from him. His touchiness didn't raise a red flag because he didn't objectify her, but it was clear he wanted her exclusively to himself. Given that they had gone from spending every day at school together to not seeing each other for more than a few hours exactly twice since summer break began, it was perfectly valid for him to feel neglected. "Let's have a night in," Bubbles suggested. "We'll watch movies and order food. How 'bout it?"

"My place or yours?" he asked.

"You've been in my room a few times already, but I haven't even seen yours yet." Despite all those invitations to come over to browse his scrapbooks and photographs, work on art projects, practice songs, and play the rhythm game he imported from Japan just for her, Bubbles had not set foot in the Rowdyruff Boys' penthouse. Consequently she was excited when Boomer took her hand and they flew to Evergreen Tower.

"I'm back!" he announced upon entering the front door. "Bubbles is with me!"

"Sup!" Butch greeted from the fridge.

Bubbles giggled and blushed, and Boomer scowled at him. "Put some clothes on. There's a _lady_ present."

Butch glanced down at his boxers. "Like she hasn't seen more than this from doin' ballet with dudes in tights."

"Umm, there's only three guys in my class and they're, like, twelve." Her gaze shyly swept over Butch. He resembled a sculpture of a Greek god come to life, tall and bronze with muscles so prominent he had his own dynamic shading no matter the light source. She didn't understand how Buttercup refrained from throwing herself at him; it seemed obvious to everyone but her that Butch was super into her. Bubbles could tell that Boomer was jealous of his mostly-naked brother so she squeezed his hand and he led her upstairs to his room, relaxing once they were alone.

"This is it," he gestured. "What do you think?"

"It smells good," she commented. It made sense that Boomer's room would smell like him, a fresh, clean, aquatic scent with notes of mint and lavender. His bed was smaller than hers yet his desk was much larger since it connected to shelves housing his camera, some attachments, art books, and plastic bins full of craft supplies. A papasan chair sat in the middle of the floor facing a wall-mounted TV. There was a small jewelry holder atop the dresser where his favorite accessories lived, including the leather ring she gave him for Valentine's Day. Every inch of wall space was covered by a poster, painting, or metal sign, many of which appeared vintage. Bubbles then went through each of his scrapbooks that doubled as photo albums, finally getting to see some of what he had in each location the Ruffs called home. The book from their time in Venice was huge; Boomer loved the city, one of the centers of the Italian Renaissance along with Florence and Rome. He wanted to take Bubbles there at some point so she could walk in his exact footsteps. For now they were content to curl up on the papasan chair and watch comedies.

They started out sitting beside one another, her legs draped across his, but that got uncomfortable pretty quickly so he situated her on his lap. Bubbles was actually into the movies but Boomer was way more interested in her, tugging one of her camisole straps down to nuzzle her shoulder and brushing her hair aside to kiss her neck. She forgot all about the TV as she relaxed into him, unbothered when her cami rode up and his hands splayed across her stomach. He felt every flex of her lithe abdominals in response to his touch, slowly moving down to her jutting hip bones.

Before they started dating Boomer overheard a lot of male classmates say that although Bubbles was cute she could never be sexy. Too skinny and flat-chested, her figure narrow and boyish, but he didn't understand what they were on about since boys didn't have hip dips or thigh gaps, and her facial features were much too feminine to ever mistake for a boy's. Maybe if Bubbles cut her hair, wore no makeup, and threw her voice she could pass as androgynous, but she liked being a girly-girl. It didn't make her weak, not in any sense of the word. Boomer knew how tough she really was beneath that soft, pretty exterior; she fucked his shit up when they fought as kids and definitely still had the capability to do so. In the superpowers department theirs were virtually identical. He manipulated electricity by discharging it from surface materials and Bubbles did so via natural atmospheric lightning. They could both generate sonic shock waves in the form of thunder, but Bubbles could also emit supersonic tones using her own voice.

Now it was at a volume Boomer heard perfectly well, keening faintly. His fingers crept beneath the waistband of her shorts while he distracted her by kissing the sensitive spot behind her ear, making her shudder and squirm in his lap. Then she gasped as his sneaky digits found the more sensitive junctures of her hips and thighs. "H-hey…" Bubbles tried to sound stern even though she was thrilled. "How'd you get in there without me noticing?"

"Magic." His husky, confident tone went straight between her legs and suddenly she _needed_ him to assuage the ache there or else she wouldn't be able to think clearly, likely his goal. She bit her lip to restrain moans as he rubbed her joints with his thumbs. Whether or not he knew they were tense after her performance, she appreciated the mini massage. "Feel good?" he asked.

"Yeah…" She let her head drop back onto his shoulder where his mouth did delightful things along her collarbone. His heart pounded even harder than hers and she could feel how aroused he was beneath her. "Boomer…"

"Hmm?"

"I need you."

His lips brushed her ear. "Need me to what?" Since the ability to form coherent words was rapidly failing her, Bubbles pushed herself into his palms. He withdrew them much to her frustration but it was to take off her shorts. She lifted her arms for him to remove her cami as well, leaving her in pink silk panties. His hands were so deft, her skin tingling wherever they roved. Boomer explored every part of her within reach before returning to where she wanted him to touch, teasing her through the fabric. The damp spot did nothing to prepare him for how wet she was when he ventured beneath. "Damn, I really did make you melt."

"Y-yeah…" she stammered, "sorry."

"You do _not_ have to apologize." He dove in without any more pretense. "I'm gonna make you come so hard you see stars, Sugar."

If that wasn't one way to get her going already. Boomer was incredibly tactile, Bubbles knew that about him, so she should've deduced he'd be skilled with his hands. She tried not to exude the impassioned moans elicited by his fingers stimulating her in all the right ways, but then he crooked the tips just-so and she clapped a palm over her mouth to smother a scream as he sent her spiraling into ecstasy much faster than anticipated. His rhythm ceased while she rode out her climax, panting and trembling, then she sighed airily. "Holy wow. Boomer… I think I'm in love with you."

"I'm _definitely_ in love with you, Bubbles," he whispered back. "I'd do anything for you. I just wanna make you happy."

She twisted around on his lap. "It'd make me really happy… if you made love to me."

His heart skipped several beats. "Now?" Her head bobbed. "Y-you're sure? You want to _right now?_ "

"Yes, I'm sure. I'm ready." Her cheeks were flushed from a combination of afterglow and nervous excitement. Bubbles stood, bringing Boomer with her, taking the liberty of undressing him. He had no reason to be insecure about his body. It was still masculine, his build was simply slender instead of bulky. When they moved to the bed she felt comfortable beneath him, his weight reassuring rather than oppressive. They both shook a little, hypersensitive to the skin-to-skin contact, hands wandering aimlessly as their kisses once again started out gentle but quickly became desperate to consume all of one another. Bubbles broke away to breathe his name and the next instant Boomer was inside her, filling her, pleasure surging through her nerves like an electric current.

He only managed a few strokes before he faltered. "Fucking _shit_ , Bubbles. You feel so good, I'm not… _Fuck_."

She giggled, amused by his cursing. "It's okay, you already took care of me. I wanna do this for you."

He regarded her through half-lidded eyes. "Or I'll just make you come with me."

Bubbles got so flustered when he said things like that, but he really was a man of his word as well as a veritable magician with his fingers. Boomer had her singing his praises in less than five minutes, drowning out his own moans as they disappeared into the curve of her neck. More curses escaped when he peaked in response to her back arching and her muscles clenching him. Release had never felt so sweet.

"Oh… my god…" Bubbles couldn't withhold a goofy laugh that earned a goofy grin from Boomer in turn. "That was actually amazing."

"You thought so? I promise I'm way better than that." He kissed her forehead, then glanced at the clock. "Gimme fifteen minutes to recharge and I'll prove it."

"R-really?" she stuttered, blushing profusely at the prospect of being loved by him again and again. "With most guys it's like… a one-and-done kinda deal."

"I'm not most guys," Boomer countered, flashing his deviously crooked smile.

That evening Butch heard Bubbles' high-pitched voice pitching even higher and louder in response to whatever his brother was doing to her. He sighed and drifted downstairs where he'd left his new TV in the living room, claiming the couch opposite Brick. "What happened with your game?" he inquired. "I know you're not interested in the news."

"Got kinda hard to play," Butch replied. "Bubbles is a screamer."

"A… what?" A shrill moan rang out just then and Brick looked at the ceiling in legitimate concern. "Is she okay?"

"She's a screamer," Butch reiterated. "Better get used to hearin' shit like that from now on." His sibling made a face of distaste. "Jeez, you're such a virgin _and_ a prude. Our little bro has _sex_. He _fucks_. And apparently he knows what he's doin' unless she's faking. By the way, I'm in love with Buttercup."

It took Brick a moment to process that statement. "No you're not."

"Yeah, I am," Butch insisted.

"Do you even know what love feels like?"

He nodded solemnly. "It feels like how I feel for her."

"Which is…?"

"Like she's the only girl in the whole world I see. I can't stop thinkin' about her. I tried and I couldn't do it." Butch zoned out, focused inward on his mental images. "I want her so bad. I wanna be with her more than anything. She's so strong and beautiful and amazin'. I love everything about her. I already took Antidote X for her once but I'd do it again. I'd give up my powers to be with her."

Brick stared at him. While far from poignant Butch's confession made it apparent he harbored intense feelings for Buttercup, but giving up his powers for her? That seemed rather drastic not to mention unrealistic. She no longer took Antidote X before school not because she was rebelling but because she never wanted to in the first place; she only did it to avoid bringing more heat down on her family. The Powerpuff Girls were goddesses among mankind and deserved to be treated as such, undiminished in the slightest. Brick drew in a breath. "Butch… do you really think you're the right person for her? She can't be another one of your conquests."

He sat forward wearing a serious expression. "It's not like that. I respect the hell outta Buttercup." Not that Butch didn't respect the other girls he had fucked, he just respected her enough to do more giving instead of taking.

"Okay, good. Have you told _her_ that?"

"No, but I think she knows." Brick quirked an eyebrow, the judgy one. "I told her I admire her! That's like the same thing, right?"

"Not really," he refuted, "and if you can't work up the courage to say what you mean, how do you expect her to take you seriously?"

Butch's mouth opened and closed a few times before he got defensive. "Don't go callin' _me_ a coward when _you_ can't admit you got a crush on Blossom!"

"What about my sister?" Bubbles asked from the stairs, both boys spinning toward her. She tittered, the picture of innocence if not for her post-coital glow. Boomer appeared sinfully proud of himself as he embraced her from behind. "You have a crush on Blossom, Brick?" she pressed.

"No, I don't! She's my _friend!_ We're _friends!_ Why is that such a hard concept for you people to grasp?!" He crossed his arms and fumed on the couch.

Bubbles laughed kindly again. "If you don't like Blossom at least a little bit, then why're you always staring at her?"

"Great question, Sugar." Boomer rested his chin on her shoulder, smirking. "Why're you _always_ staring at Blossom, Brick?"

"And blushing when you talk to her," she added.

"And _blushing!_ "

"I'm not and I don't," Brick grumbled, then pointed at Butch. " _He's_ hopelessly in love with Buttercup, you know."

Bubbles rolled her eyes. "Duh. You just now realized?"

"Is it that obvious?!" Butch cried.

"Uh huh." She sat at the kitchen counter to browse their extensive collection of takeout menus, frowning at the fact that half of them were from pizzerias. "You guys eat _way_ too much pizza. Let's get pho."

"Ooh, and sushi."

"Those are two different cuisines, Boomer," Brick put in.

Butch stood up to stretch and groan. "Well, I'm goin' to hang out with the guys. See ya." His brothers hadn't even noticed he was no longer parading around in his underwear, and they were too stunned that he was leaving the house for once to bid him farewell.

"Have fun!" Bubbles waved, receiving one in response. She turned back to Boomer. "So can we get pho? And spring rolls?"

"Get whatever you want, Sugar." He kissed her so hard that she squeaked in surprise. "It won't be as good as you."

Brick retreated to his room before they made his teeth rot.

* * *

Butch found the Floyjoydson residence without issue. It stood out for being an ultra-modern amalgamation of glass, steel, and solar panels that had been built by the twins' architect mother and engineer father. Earlier that day, as Butch engaged in an online fighting tournament with Floyd and Mitch, Mike popped on to propose they all get together and stream Buttercup's show from Miami Swim Week. It was actually Robin's idea, and initially they were going to gather at her house, but Floyd asserted that they had the better home theater setup. Butch discovered that to be true when he joined everyone downstairs. There were speakers situated all around the room, recliners to sit in, and a 4K projector instead of a TV. Mitch brought snacks and drinks from the gas station where he worked, distributing them while Lloyd helped Robin connect her laptop to the projector. Once that was accomplished she signed in to access the livestream and claimed a chair next to Mike.

Before the show began they had to listen to some backstory on designer Rani Mishra, her summer collection, and certain models who would appear on the runway that night. Buttercup's name wasn't mentioned and that made Butch anxious for some reason. Shouldn't they be talking about her? She was a superhuman, surely a standout from the other girls. "I'm getting nervous," Mike admitted. "Buttercup's never walked before, right? She's only done photoshoots."

"Yeah, what if she falls?" Floyd broached. "I heard that happens sometimes."

Robin waved off their concerns. "She's got this."

They were about to see if that were the case. The announcers quieted, the lights dimmed, and music faded in. Buttercup was the first model to step out and the sight of her stole Butch's breath away. He could _feel_ the confidence she radiated despite looking at a projection and being on the other side of the country. When she reached the end of the catwalk she posed a few times for the cameras before heading back. "Hey…" Mitch rotated to address the others from his front-row seat. "Is it okay if I think her ass looks amazing right now?"

"It totally does," Lloyd agreed. "I think they put oil on it or something."

"Fuck, man. How do I get _that_ job?"

That was the beginning of their running commentary. Robin's contributions typically consisted of "ooh, I like that one!" in regards to particular styles and colors, and she also made sure to mention the shoes. Mike listened attentively, imagining her in designer swimwear and stilettos. Floyd sat in absolute silence but occasionally let slip a hum of approval, usually at the same time Mitch said "she's hot".

"New drinking game," Lloyd declared after a few minutes. "Next time we stream a fashion show, take a shot whenever Mitch calls a model hot."

"We would die," Mike stated.

Mitch snickered. "Yeah you would. They're _all_ hot."

Especially Buttercup; she was the only one Butch had eyes for. She appeared every ten cycles or so, overshadowing the girls she passed with sheer presence alone. She didn't just strut or stride, she marched down the runway as if heading into battle. Whenever she made eye contact with a camera, winking or smirking or lifting her chin, Butch felt as if she were looking directly at him. Taunting, enticing, challenging. _"Come and get me"_ she said to him. It had almost been a year since he began lusting after her and he hadn't acted on a single urge, which he probably deserved a pat on the back for.

"Oh wow!" Robin exclaimed, pulling Butch back to the present. "She's flying! They let her fly!"

Technically Buttercup was just hovering, but the audience still leapt to their feet with phones and cameras out to capture the stunning figure she presented. Buttercup resembled an empress of a bygone era in her outfit, a black monokini reminiscent of ancient armor complete with a single plated sleeve. The gladiator sandals on her feet were her very own. Atop her head was a jeweled diadem and slung about her arms was a flowing robe in blue, black, and green hues with crystal embroidery. Rani Mishra walked with her, smiling and waving. The announcers were mind-blown to see a model floating above the runway and kept repeating the same question into their mics: _"Who is she?"_

Floyd got up to disconnect the laptop. "Guess the show's over. Was it worth it, Robin?"

She sighed longingly. "Yeah, Buttercup was awesome. But now I really want one of those bikinis. They're so pretty yet _sooo_ expensive."

Robin's presumed pipe dream of owning a designer swimsuit came true when Buttercup arrived home the next day, jetlagged as hell but in possession of goodie bags from Paris and Miami. She gave Blossom a bottle of perfume, Bubbles some makeup, and Robin a gift certificate to the Rani Mishra boutique downtown. She promptly called Mike and asked if he wanted to help pick out a bikini, earning an emphatic yes. "If they don't get together after that, I'm out of ideas," Buttercup said. She yawned in the midst of dinner once again.

"I still _cannot_ believe Rani knows Jean-Paul Gaultier and you walked for him at Paris Fashion Week." Bubbles squee'd. "My sister's gonna be famous!"

Blossom nodded in agreement. "All the fashion blogs are dying to figure out who you are. There's been a huge spike in keyword searches related to Miami Swim Week and Rani Mishra." She tilted her head. "Why hasn't your name been made public yet?"

Buttercup sighed. "Rani wants me to exclusively model for her the rest of the year, but my agency doesn't. They'd lose out on money if I'm only doing one long-term job instead of getting hired by multiple clients. It's tough being popular, I tell you." Her phone chimed with a text message and she groaned, then smiled. "The guys want me to come hang out tomorrow night."

"Will Butch be there?" Bubbles asked.

"Probably. He's one of 'the guys', after all." Buttercup frowned at her sister's laugh; it almost sounded conspiratorial. She spent most of the next day getting her sleep schedule back on track, waking up to a barrage of messages from Floyd asking what she wanted to eat and Mitch asking what she wanted to drink. _You guys know what I like_ , she texted back. She then took a long, relaxing shower and got dressed in the most casual outfit she'd worn all July. At 5:00 she flew to the Floyjoydson home, spotting Butch's Porsche in the driveway behind the twins' car. Their parents' Tesla was absent meaning Mitch had brought booze. It was going to be a good night. "What's up, guys!" she shouted upon opening the front door.

"Hey, Butters!" Floyd called from the kitchen. "You're right on time! A batch of cookies with your name on them just came out of the oven."

"Sweet, thanks." She grabbed the tray and left him to continue working on dinner, spicy curry it smelled like, heading upstairs where she found the other three boys in Lloyd's room playing video games. "You losers need a new hobby," she teased, grabbing a controller to replace the CPU currently hindering Mitch.

"Butters to the rescue!" he cheered. "You two're fucked now!"

"We'll see about that. Hey, can I have one of your fat cookies?" Buttercup slid the tray toward Lloyd.

"What's a fat cookie?" Butch wondered.

She indicated he have one as well, and Mitch simply helped himself. "They're called that 'cause they're made with white and brown sugar, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and shortening. Totally not good for you unless you're trying to gain weight."

"Don't you gotta stay in shape to be a model?" he then questioned.

She shrugged. "Yeah, but I'm fucking starving. You have no idea how crazy the last two weeks were for me."

Obviously they wanted to hear about it. Highlights included meeting Jean-Paul Gaultier for all of ten seconds, rocking a few of his corsets, going to an after-party and getting offered coke, running into her bitchy roommates from her study abroad program, getting hit on by no less than ten male models during the flight to Miami, getting yelled at for eating before Rani's show, and being hounded by press while attempting to fly home.

"There wouldn't happen to be a _video_ of that haute couture segment, would there?" Lloyd inquired.

Buttercup tutted. "Of course there is, it's Gaultier. He always gets coverage." Mitch chuckled, rousing her suspicions. "Why do you ask?"

"I came up with this idea for a new drinking game. Hear me out…" She thought it was brilliant and even added her own rules. One shot if Mitch called a model hot, two shots if they tripped or stumbled, three shots if they fell or had a wardrobe malfunction.

The five friends had the good sense to eat first. Buttercup forgot how good of a cook Floyd was; some girl would be very happy with him in the future. She was also reminded why she'd developed a crush on Lloyd way back in junior high; he was funny and charming, always the life of the party. As the newest member of the group Butch had to undergo a rite of passage consisting of swearing to uphold the secret of how Mitch acquired booze, but it didn't involve any daring deeds. He worked at the 24-hour gas station across from the Citiesville bridge, his boss got loaded and fucked up inventory orders all the time, and Mitch appropriated the excess stock. Then Butch had to take a shot of Everclear which he did so unflinchingly. "Well that's disconcerting," Floyd remarked. "I don't think I'm going to like drinking with you. Also, it should go without saying that you can't tell our folks we get wasted whenever they're out on the town. And don't tell Professor U, either."

Butch's lips were sealed. His experience with alcohol was about the same as he had with drugs: very little. He didn't know what he liked, but he knew it'd affect him differently because of his biology. He never pictured Buttercup as the type to imbibe, either. She was a Powerpuff Girl, a morally-upstanding paragon of justice! But apparently she had an affinity for tequila; he was curious to see if she'd end up on the floor. Turned out he was partial to whiskey, the same as Mitch. They finished off a half gallon of Jack Daniels together before the fashion show even ended, but Mitch called every model hot just to get his friends drunk faster. Butch thought Buttercup looked just as fierce in haute couture as she did swimwear. The makeup, the hair, the accessories… There was more artistry involved, but it wasn't really wearable, functional fashion like her monokini. Seeing her in a metallic corset, though… that was a treat.

They found a few more Fashion Week videos to keep the game going. Floyd was the first to throw in the towel since he was a lightweight, and Mitch conked out on the floor next. Lloyd put on a bad movie and fell asleep to it around midnight, but Buttercup and Butch kept nursing their bottles until two in the morning when the former stood up to grab a snack and wobbled precariously. "You feelin' it?" Butch asked. Evidently alcohol didn't affect him in the least, which was kind of disappointing.

"Yep, and it feels good. Nice 'n light." She flopped onto the vacant couch in the den, nudging Mitch with her foot as he snored loudly.

Butch eyed her from his chair. "Why'd you wanna drink tonight?"

"You guys have _no idea_ how stressful my job is," Buttercup answered. "Backstage, behind the runway, it's a complete clusterfuck. People are touching me and bumping into me, stylists keep fucking with my hair and telling me to change out of clothes or shoes I just put on, and some girls talk shit about me for no reason! Like, what the fuck did I do to them?! I don't even _know_ them!"

"They're jealous you're prettier than them," Butch said matter-of-factly.

She only laughed and downed the last few drops from the third bottle of tequila she'd had all to herself, letting it fall to the carpet. A couple minutes later it hit in full force and she groaned as her head began throbbing. Buttercup closed her eyes for however long, then they popped open when something cold and damp landed on her forehead. A washcloth. She had to crane her neck to view Butch kneeling with his elbows on the armrest, his eyes so shadowed she could only discern a hint of their color. How funny… Once upon a time he'd been a tall, dark, and handsome stranger who hit on her at an MMA gym. Now he watched over her as she slowly sank into oblivion. "I'm not gonna be pretty in the morning, I'm gonna look like shit."

"Don't think it's possible for you to look like shit," Butch countered. "You're too beautiful."

Buttercup rolled her eyes at the compliment. "No one's _too_ beautiful. We're all ugly in some way."

"Not you."

"What makes me pretty then, huh?" His mouth opened and she flailed one hand. "Don't say 'everything' again 'cause that's bullshit!"

He scoffed. "Fine. Your hair. I like your undercut."

"Thanks, me too. Anything else?"

The way Butch spoke next made her shiver. His voice was too deep to really whisper, coming out low and gravelly instead. "Your eyes."

"Really?"

"Yeah. And your lips. They're so… poofy."

They were quite full, her Cupid's bow prominent. Rani said that's what made her smirk so effective, a look indicating her superiority. Buttercup asserted that she didn't consider herself better than anyone, especially normal people, but Rani wanted her to wear the 'Hera' set for her show's finale because she thought Buttercup embodied the essence of her collection, the divine feminine made flesh, a supreme queen among gods and mortals. It felt weird to be deified like that. She was just a girl, a girl with superpowers but a regular person nonetheless. She wanted the same things as other girls her age: a loving and supportive family, trustworthy friends, social acceptance, recognition for her talents, and to meet someone she could fall in love with. Buttercup was sometimes self-conscious for not yet having been in a romantic relationship at almost eighteen, but she didn't want to settle for guys who didn't meet her four requirements. Lloyd had been up for consideration numerous times but he was often going out with other girls. Then there was that whole issue of everyone seeing her in a new light after she started modeling. She thought her friends would be happy for her, not suddenly express the desire to sleep with her.

And then… Butch. He confused the hell out of Buttercup. She knew he wanted her if his overtly sexual comments were any indication, but he might just be trying to get a rise out of her. By placing himself between her and Joey he'd proven she could trust him, but could she really when he might just be pretending to be her friend? She didn't want to be another notch on someone's belt. It didn't matter how physically attracted to her Butch was. If he couldn't make an emotional investment, nothing was going to happen between them.

That's how Buttercup thought when she was sober, but right now the majority of her inhibitions had been banished by hard liquor. She gave Butch what she hoped was a coquettish smile. "You like my lips, huh? You wanna kiss 'em?"

He shook his head once. "I don't mess with drunk chicks."

"Well, permission granted. I consent. Kiss me." He denied her again and her brow furrowed. "Why not? Don't you wanna?"

"When I kiss you, I want you to remember it," he said.

She grinned. "I will if it's good. C'mon, do it. I know you want to." She reached up and back, placing a hand behind his neck to try bringing him down to her. "Be my first kiss."

Butch resisted the pull. "I wanna be your first and _only_ , Buttercup."

Ugh, those words put her stomach in knots. She couldn't tell if it was elated butterflies or the tequila fighting back, and her vision had gotten a lot darker. He was so hard to see but she felt him there, looking at her with such longing it had to hurt. "Butch," she managed to articulate, "do you even… Are you in…?"

"Am I in love with you?" Her fingers slipped off his neck. "…Yeah."

Buttercup didn't catch that last bit since she had fallen unconscious. Butch finally admitted it to her face, but he waited until she couldn't hear it because he really was a coward like Brick said. The only person standing in his way now was himself.


	15. Should I Stay or Should I Go?

**Chapter Fifteen: Should I stay or should I go?**

No more procrastinating. It was time to finish the job and receive the other half of the payment from Max. Brick had figured out how to intimidate the woman who privately funded Townsville's smallest yet most prolific research group concerned with manipulating the human genome. Those scientists were renowned throughout the world for successfully completing Project X and creating the Powerpuff Girls. Professor Utonium was a member of that collective.

Brick had a visceral feeling that he should've asked Max what his motive was for wanting so many GE groups under his thumb. Deposing the final benefactor would be easy and he'd become vastly richer afterward, but the money didn't matter any more; the Ruffs were financially secure enough to support themselves through multiple lifetimes. They didn't need the cash, but Brick couldn't in good conscience leave the job unfinished when they had a reputation to uphold. Did that reputation matter, though, if this were the last contract? He had qualms about disrupting the Utonium family's livelihood by turning the collective over to Max, and not knowing the outcome made it difficult to decide what to do. To make matters worse, Brick's opportune moment to confront the benefactor coincided with the two weeks Blossom wanted to be in Mexico.

So which was more important to him? Did he go on the trip he'd been looking forward to and Blossom had been saving for all summer, or did he abide his mercenary contract and threaten to blackmail someone for the last time?

The choice was obvious once Brick set his personal feelings aside, feelings he never should have developed in the first place. He was supposed to be better than that.

Blossom's shift at Café Een had just about ended. Brick waited the few minutes it took her to appear, receiving a beatific smile as she waved an envelope. "This is it, the last check before our trip! Let's go deposit it together!" He walked at her side on their way to the bank. "Oh, I forgot to tell you! I contacted the family I stayed with during my study abroad program and they said they'd be glad to have me again. I told them about you, too, and they want to meet you! They're in Mexico City. You haven't been there, right?" Brick shook his head. "Great! It's the capital so there's a lot to do! I figured we could just stay with them and fly to Guadalajara and the Yucatan, if that's okay with you." He made a non-committal sound that Blossom missed, interacting with a teller instead. She beamed at the statement of her savings account on their way out. "Do you think this will be enough? I suppose we can always omit a few days if I need to work another week…"

Brick glanced at the amount and swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. $3500. "That's more than enough for one person," he said. Blossom faced him, frowning. "If it's just you, you should be able to have a great time."

"What do you mean 'just me'?" she asked. "We're going together, Brick."

"About that…" Her falling expression physically pained him. "Something came up, something personal. On Monday I'm going to Greece for a while."

What?! What the hell kind of personal business did he have to take care of in _Greece?!_ "But… we were supposed to leave then!" Blossom proclaimed.

"I know. I'm sorry, but I have to do this. It's very important." Brick shifted beneath the weight of her disappointed gaze. It also contained a glimmer of suspicion; he couldn't shake the feeling that she had an inkling as to why he was blowing her off.

The look faded after a minute, and Blossom sighed in resignation. "I didn't want to go without you, so I guess I won't. With this much money I can buy myself a Nervo for my birthday." Hope bloomed anew. "You'll be back by then, right?"

"I should be," he answered.

She tilted her head. "Are Butch and Boomer going with you to Greece?"

"No, just me." Brick was the one who accepted Max's contract so it was his responsibility to fulfill it.

He spent two weeks in the city of Volos waiting for the woman funding the research group to show up with her male companion, enjoying a vacation while her husband was in the hospital. Brick played the role of tourist by shopping at upscale boutiques, eating at top-rated restaurants, walking along the waterfront, and visiting bars at night where he barely spent any money because people, mostly women, bought him drinks. Most of them also invited him to their hotel rooms which he tactfully denied. Finally, three days overdue, the financier arrived. Natasha Carrington was an angel investor and her boy toy was closer to Brick's age than hers.

He tailed them to one of the bars he frequented, a small blessing since he wouldn't look out of place among the patrons. Brick claimed a counter seat and studied the couple from the corner of his eye. They acted like they were all alone in the world, kissing and whispering and occasionally feeling each other up. Why did people have to do that in public? As if he hadn't seen enough displays of affection between Boomer and Bubbles since she started sleeping over at the penthouse, disturbing him with their nocturnal activities to the point where he bought a pair of headphones just so he could read in peace.

The young man walked off and Carrington's head immediately swiveled toward Brick. He made sure she caught him side-eyeing her before glancing away. "I _love_ a fiery redhead," she purred while sidling up to him. "What can I get you?"

"Been meaning to try the appletini," Brick replied. "Seems like a girl drink, though."

The woman laughed. "Oh no, sweetie, vodka is a _man's_ liquor." She ordered one of the bright green cocktails for him, pleased when his brow rose in approval. "Where are you staying? If it's too far, I'll give you a ride."

The double entendre did not escape notice. "Thank you, but I'll be able to walk back to my hotel."

Carrington studied his vintage leather jacket and the Cartier around his wrist. "Who's trust fund baby are you?" she wondered.

"I don't belong to anyone but myself." Brick propped an elbow up on the counter, facing her squarely. "It's rather inappropriate to go around buying the companionship of young men like me, Natasha. What would your husband think?"

Several emotions flickered across her visage until settling on icy detachment. "My husband has been in a coma for over a year. I'm not going to apologize for being a woman with needs." Brick hummed. "So, what do you want?"

"I want you to withdraw your funding from the GE collective behind Project X."

She snorted. "Why on earth would I do that?"

"If you don't, your charity organizations will find out how charitable you've been with your husband's money." He lifted the martini. "Thanks for the donation." She glared. "I have photographic evidence of you and your 'friend' that would ruin everything you've built. I'm fairly certain there was a clause in that prenup about infidelity."

"But you won't do anything if I back out of the genome research? That's all?" Brick nodded. "Is there a time limit?"

"Withdraw your funding within the next three days or the pictures go public," he threatened. "I could also throw in a statement about how you propositioned me."

"Please don't," Carrington pleaded, "there are so many people who rely on my investments, including the Powerpuff Girls." Brick's jaw tightened at that. "I've never actually met them, but I know they do a lot of good for Townsville. And the man who designed them, Professor Utonium, is a good person. Will they be okay without me? Will someone else support them?"

"Yes," he assured. The woman turned around for a few seconds, smiling at her boy toy as he approached, and when she looked back Brick was gone.

He returned to the hotel, packed his things, paid cash for his stay, and flew home. The job was done, his conscience clear… only not really since he'd let Blossom down. But the shady business was over and the Ruffs were free to live however they wanted from now on. Maybe Brick could make things up to Blossom. Her birthday was in four days; if he gave her a meaningful present as thanks for all she'd done for him, maybe she'd forgive him.

"Where the hell've you been, Bro?" Butch demanded as soon as Brick came through the front door of the penthouse. Boomer zipped down from upstairs. "You can't ghost us like that!"

"Yeah, what the hell is up with you?" Boomer asked. "You hide out in your room all summer and then disappear without warning? Did we piss you off that much?"

Brick sighed, dropping his bag beside the kitchen counter before dropping himself onto a sofa. "I finished the job for Max."

"You went without us?!" Boomer yelled. "We're supposed to do that together!"

"Yeah, who was watchin' your back?" Butch added.

"No one. I didn't need it." Brick stared at the ceiling. "What do you two want in life?" His brothers shared a confused look. "What do you want to do? Who do you want to become? Where do you want home to be?"

Boomer inched forward. "Brick, are you okay? Sounds like you're having an existential crisis."

"These are serious questions." He sat up, folding his hands beneath his chin. "Answer me, please. I'm listening." They were at a loss for words so Brick prompted them. "You want to stay here in Townsville, right?"

"Well… yeah," Boomer muttered. "I love Bubbles, I don't wanna leave her. She makes me believe we have a future together." No one derided him for saying that, so he raised his head. "And I thought I'd go into music, like production or radio or DJing. Mandark said I had natural talent and a good personality."

"What about you, Butch?" Brick queried.

He shrugged both shoulders. "I dunno… Lloyd and Mike made me start thinkin' I could play college football. They said I might get drafted by a professional team, but I'd have to get really good and stand out."

"Would they let you play with your powers?"

"No. I was gonna start trainin' without 'em, like Buttercup." He blushed.

Those were aspirations that anyone might have, but they meant more coming from his siblings who never had the opportunity to dream of such things until now. Brick rose to his feet. "All right. If that's what you two want, let's make it happen. The Rowdyruff Boys are officially retiring."

"What?!" they exclaimed. Boomer recovered first. "But what about _you?_ What're you gonna do if we quit being mercenaries?"

"I'm not sure, but it doesn't matter. We've been in this game long enough. You two deserve the chance to achieve your dreams and live happily with the ones you love."

Butch frowned. "But… so do you, Bro. You're the one who got us to this point. We wouldn't've made it here without ya."

Boomer eyed Brick with uncertainty. "Are you gonna stay in Townsville, too?"

He ducked his chin. "For the time being. I think it would be beneficial to complete a high school education."

"And then what?" Butch pressed.

"I'll figure something out." His brothers looked mildly concerned. Brick had dictated every aspect of their life since they were kids; ironic that he had no earthly idea what to do with his own. He might be able to operate independently for a while since mercenary work was all he knew and he was good at it. Why not continue doing what he'd been designed for? On the other hand, he greatly enjoyed learning; it might be nice to pursue higher education. Brick knew a lot, but there was a lot of knowledge that couldn't be gleaned from books alone, like how to make friends. He was grateful for experiencing that firsthand.

Butch and Boomer would remain in Townsville because their hearts had been captured by girls who called the city their forever home, but Brick still felt as if his could be out in the wide world. Either that or he was so deeply ingrained with the need to move around that he was incapable of staying in one place. That might not be such a bad thing if he always had his brothers, and a certain redhead, to return to.

* * *

For once the Professor was not in his lab when his daughters came home from shopping, pacing before the TV instead. "What's wrong, Professor?" Blossom instantly inquired.

"Girls, you're back. I have something important to tell you." They all sat at the kitchen table, the man twiddling his thumbs while considering how best to word it. "You know that the research group I belong to isn't government-funded, right? We rely on private investors to support our work."

Bubbles nodded. "We know that, Professor. It's been the same lady since we were kids, right?"

"Not any more." He looked stressed, not like his typical optimistic self. "Mrs. Carrington pulled her funding yesterday. Things are… a little chaotic right now. We were just about finished with a new compound derived from Chemical X, sensibly named Chemical Y, that has the potential to be much more effective than mere gene editing."

As if genetic editing were such a simple feat. "What's so special about it?" Buttercup asked.

His features brightened a bit. "Well, this compound is a fusion of biology and technology. Chemical X had to be applied during the embryonic stage of your development, but Chemical Y can be applied at any time. It contains nanites programmed to make alterations on the cellular level."

Bubbles blinked. "I don't get it."

"Tiny robots rearrange protein sequences," Blossom said. "You remember biology class, don't you? At the base level, that's all we are– acids and proteins."

"Yes, but you three are special," the Professor went on. "Chemical X affected specific nucleotide sequences called telomeres. Think of them as shoelace aglets for your DNA strands. They 'tie off' chromosomes and protect them from deteriorating during cellular division, getting shorter and shorter until cells reach their Hayflick limit. After that, cellular senescence occurs and telomeres no longer replace bits of DNA lost during division. This is called telomerase, the mechanic behind aging. Chemical X altered that mechanic in a few unexpected ways. First it accelerated your rates of cellular division and development, then it determined your Hayflick limits had been reached by age twelve. Telomerase went from expressed to absent but senescence didn't occur, essentially putting you in stasis. If I hadn't restarted that process with Antidote X, you girls would have remained twelve years old for the foreseeable future."

"But I like almost being an adult," Bubbles pouted.

"And I'm glad I was able to watch you grow into such accomplished young ladies." The Professor's countenance dimmed again. "Your unique abilities were also an unexpected effect of Chemical X. It was just supposed to be an anti-aging compound but the results proved too unpredictable, so we began working on something we had more control over. The nanites in Chemical Y will behave exactly as programmed, making changes on the genetic level to cure physical and mental ailments. We were going to begin animal trials next week, but without Carrington's support…" He sighed. "What I'm trying to tell you girls is that finances may be tight for a while. We have a sizable nest egg, and I know you planned a big party for your eighteenth birthday…"

"But we have to be conscientious," Blossom deduced.

The man nodded. "We need to live a bit more… moderately until I have a steady source of income again."

" _We_ have income too, Professor," Buttercup pointed out. "If you think we're not gonna help pay for anything, then you're not that smart."

"Thank you, Buttercup." The Professor leaned sideways to wrap an arm around her shoulders, earning a fake grumble of discontent. "We'll figure things out. Everything will be okay."

After dinner the Girls convened in Bubbles' room since it was the largest, and they always did their best thinking together. "We have to come up with a new birthday plan," Blossom declared, pacing at the foot of the bed. "Maybe instead of inviting everyone we know, we could just invite our best friends. Robin, Mike, Julie, the guys…" Her trailing off meant "feel free to throw in ideas".

"It should definitely still be at the beach," Bubbles said. "It's free and there's enough room for everyone, plus we can use one of the picnic shelters."

Buttercup hummed. "How 'bout we just make the food ourselves instead of having it catered? That means you gotta let me help cook."

Her sisters cringed at the notion. "Fine, you can make some salads," Blossom agreed. "Bubbles will do her vegetarian menu, and I'll handle the cake. Which we still need to decide on."

"Black Forest cake!"

"Classic cheesecake."

Blossom pursed her lips. "How about… a zebra cheesecake with cherries?"

"Okay," her sisters chorused, grinning at one another. "And we're still gonna go swimming and play volleyball and frisbee?" Buttercup asked.

"Don't forget limbo!" Bubbles added.

"Of course, and those won't cost us a dime, either." Blossom thought for a moment. "I guess that's everything, right? Our party wasn't going to be wild and crazy in the first place."

The blonde squee'd and flopped back onto her pillows with her phone in hand. "Okay, you two have to leave so I can call Boomer and give him the details!"

Buttercup wrinkled her nose. "Why're you kicking us out for that? Do you talk dirty to each other?" Bubbles smiled slyly. "I was joking, but eww. Going now."

The morning of August 20th was spent having a lavish breakfast with the Professor, then the Puffs headed to the mall to buy outfits for each other. Upon returning home they were surprised to see a familiar sports car parked at the curb, Brick and Butch awaiting them inside. "What're you guys doing here?" Buttercup asked.

Butch beamed. "I'm takin' you on an outdoor adventure! We're gonna go on a competitive scavenger hunt in the woods. C'mon!"

"Wha–?" was all she got out before he grabbed her hand and they got in the Porsche, zooming off.

Blossom gave Brick a bewildered stare. "I don't suppose _you're_ about to whisk me away somewhere, too?"

He offered a hand. "There's a new interactive exhibit at the planetarium I thought you might enjoy. Shall we?"

Bubbles nudged her sister toward Brick, tittering at Blossom's confusion. "Don't worry about me! Have fun!"

After they left, Boomer and the Professor emerged from around the corner. "I'm surprised that worked," the man remarked. "I thought they would hesitate."

"Professor," Bubbles said seriously, "Blossom and Buttercup are crazy in love with Brick and Butch, they just haven't admitted it yet. Now let's get everything ready before the four of them come back."

The respective couples returned to Townsville at 5:30, convening at the beachfront park at the same time. Blossom figured out what was going on when she spotted the Professor's station wagon parked alongside their friends' cars. One of the covered areas had been decorated with lights and streamers beneath which sat an assortment of food, a pile of presents, and what appeared to be three different cakes. She smiled at the Ruffs. "Did you three take the liberty of throwing our party?"

"It was Boomer's idea!" Bubbles explained. "He said it was silly for us to do everything on our special day, so he set it up! Me and the Professor helped, of course."

"But… this looks like all the food we were gonna order from that catering place," Buttercup observed. "And there's a cake for each of us?"

"You _do_ have different tastes," Brick said. "You'll have to forgive me if I messed up your cheesecake. I'd never made one before."

It looked pretty damn good to her. _Everything_ did, and the fact that the Boys had gone out of their way to arrange an ideal birthday party when the Girls couldn't do it themselves was just plain nice of them. Robin, Mike, Julie, Wes, Susie, Mitch, Floyd, and Lloyd were in attendance, and Boomer even had a compact DJ setup he'd get to in a while. He and Bubbles filled their plates, sitting with Mike and Robin while trying to convince them to go on a double date since they were officially together now. "You gonna go out for the football team again?" Bubbles inquired of Mike.

"Yep, so is Lloyd," he answered. "Tryouts and practice start next week, actually. Hey, Butch!" Mike waved to get his attention. "You're going to help Lloyd and I take Townsville High to state again, right?" Butch only gave a thumbs-up since his mouth was full of food. "Hopefully we'll bring home the championship this year."

"Bet Robin'll look cute in your letterman!" Bubbles giggled at their simultaneous blush.

"Will Joey be on the team?" Boomer wondered.

Mike and Robin shared a look. "He can't play," the latter said. "Buttercup messed up his arm when they threw down in March." All her friends had heard about that incident by now and the general consensus was that Joey deserved what he got. Boomer couldn't help but wear a self-satisfied smirk. If he weren't super, Joey and Harry's bullying during after-school detention might've permanently damaged his hand and made it difficult for him to do anything tactile, including mix music.

Mitch abruptly slid in beside the blond couple, glancing around furtively. "Happy birthday, Bubbles. You know you can drink legally in most of the world now, right? I got something you might like." He withdrew a flask from inside his jacket.

Mike gasped. "Oh my god, _Mitchell!_ Put that away!"

"Chill out, _Michael_ ," he returned, "Professor U's not watching. Take a quick sip, Bubbles."

She sniffed it cautiously. "What is it?"

"Coconut rum. It's sweet." She put it to her lips and tilted her head back, releasing a surprised "mmm!" Mitch returned the flask to his pocket. "Next time me 'n the twins throw a party, there'll be a bottle of this with your name on it." He grinned and left, acting casual.

At the adjacent table Blossom and Brick sat opposite Buttercup and Butch. It took a while for conversation to flow since the four of them were starving, focused on eating. "So…" Blossom spoke first, "how was your scavenger hunt? How did that whole thing even work?"

"It was a lot of fun," Buttercup replied, "except for the half-dozen times Butch almost rolled our RZR."

"It was a _race_. I was tryin' to get around _quickly_ ," he stated.

She tutted. "It was at some camp in the middle of the state forest. They gave us a Polaris, a map, and a compass. We competed against five other teams to visit stations hidden throughout the woods. Whoever returned to camp with ten tokens first was the winner." She jerked a thumb at Butch. "We got second place 'cause this idiot didn't listen when I told him which direction west was."

"West is where the sun sets," Brick said matter-of-factly.

"See, Butch?! I _told_ you! Everyone knows that _except_ you!" He only shrugged and Buttercup huffed, but she was more amused than annoyed. "I'm assuming you guys went and did something, too?"

Blossom's irises sparkled. "Yes! We saw the brand-new exhibit at the planetarium. They let me look at Saturn through the telescope, and then we sat under this dome with a real-time passage of our galactic arm overhead. It had a holographic interface so you could zoom in on certain areas and see what's been mapped. It was fascinating!"

"Wow," Butch deadpanned, "you two are such nerds."

"At least I didn't attempt to injure a Powerpuff Girl on her _birthday_ ," Brick countered. "Hopefully the present you got will make up for not winning the scavenger hunt."

 _"Presents!"_ Bubbles shouted, as if waiting for that word to come up.

The Puffs tore into their gifts with fervor. Robin brought back souvenirs from Disney World, Susie knitted adorable doll keychains of their likenesses, Wes and Mike both went the safe route with gift cards, Mitch compiled mixed CDs with their favorite songs of all time, Julie made personalized beauty baskets, and Floyd and Lloyd gave them digital photo albums loaded with pictures from all the years they'd been friends. They even included more recent ones taken with the Ruffs, sentimentality threatening to bring tears to Blossom's eyes. It just made her really happy that all the important people in her life had been so accepting of the Boys. She unwrapped Brick's present, gasping at the limited-edition purple Nervo. "How did you get this?! They were completely sold out when I went to buy it!"

"That's because I bought the very last one," he explained, trying and failing not to be smug about it.

Blossom leapt to her feet to throw her arms around him. "Thank you so much, Brick! I love it!" For the first time she could recall, he returned the embrace. Those few seconds he held her to his chest felt so good and right that she flushed excessively when they separated, whirling around so he wouldn't see her scarlet cheeks.

Buttercup opened her present from Butch next. She hadn't expected anything in particular, but she was still surprised to find a pair of fingerless gloves. The black leather was creased and supple, and a green patina coated the brass knuckle rivets. "Try 'em on," Butch urged from beyond her shoulder. Doing so made her nervous for some reason; she had the sense they belonged to someone important. Buttercup flexed her hands as he exhaled a breath of relief. "Awesome, perfect fit. I was worried they'd be too big."

"Thanks a lot, Butch." She twisted around to look up at him. "Where'd you get these?"

"Somebody I knew," he answered, rubbing the back of his neck. Buttercup noted his use of past tense.

Lastly was Boomer's gift to Bubbles. The box was small, rectangular, and very light. Tucked amidst layers of tissue paper was a tiny ballerina made of pale blue glass, the ideal size to fit in one of her shadow boxes. "This is so cute and pretty!" she exclaimed, smooching him. "Thank you!"

Boomer laced their fingers. "You like it, really? It's Murano glass from Venice. I wanna take you there soon."

Bubbles chanced a glance at her father, finding him engrossed with Blossom's new Nervo. "That's something we'd have to talk about with the Professor. We kinda have to be careful with spending these days."

Julie wanted to take a picture just then so Bubbles didn't catch the worried expression that passed Boomer's features; however, Brick did. An unpleasant feeling unfurled in his gut, his three slices of cake tasting bitter despite being sweet and sugary. When Boomer started doing his DJ thing and Blossom asked Brick to dance, he almost said no because he couldn't bear the fact that he'd caused the Utonium's financial hardship. But she had danced with him on _his_ birthday so it would've been unfair to deny her. "I swear you get better at salsa each time we do this," Blossom commented, thankfully looking down at his feet and not into his guilt-ridden countenance.

Brick swallowed his nerves. "Practice makes perfect or so they say."

She pursed her lips in mock censure. "I can't believe you went and bought that phone after I told you I was going to get it myself. That's _almost_ cheating in terms of gift-giving since you knew exactly what I wanted."

Here was an opening. "There's something else I want to do for you, Blossom." She quirked an eyebrow. "I know I can't apologize enough for ruining our trip and all your planning, but there are still three weeks until school starts. We could spend two of them in Mazatlan, on me. Anything and everything you want."

"Brick…" Blossom shook her head once. "It was never about spending money. If it were, I would have gone at the beginning of the month. Don't you understand? The trip was about spending time with you."

"I understand that I let you down, and I want to make it up to you." The hand clasping hers tightened. "I'm so sorry, Blossom. Please say you'll go with me to Mazatlan and let me lavish you. You deserve it."

She sighed. Why did people say she _deserved_ things without even knowing what she truly wanted? Blossom studied her friends grooving to music in their own small groups, just like at Homecoming, and smiled. "Let's go for a walk, Brick." It wasn't really a request. They wandered along the beach until the noise faded. "How far did you make it through the poetry list?"

"I'm on _The Divine Comedy_ ," Brick answered.

"Three-quarters, not bad. You must read fast." He hummed. "I know you had a three-point-seven GPA last year, pretty impressive considering how many random absences you took." Blossom paused just long enough for that observation to make him uncomfortable. "Are you continuing your education through senior year?"

"Yes," Brick confirmed.

She smiled broadly. "Then I expect you to give me a run for valedictorian."

"You can have it if it means I need to give a speech."

They shared a laugh, then quiet reigned once more. Blossom made a sound of consideration. "Two weeks of being pampered in Mazatlan, hm? Any girl would have to be crazy to say no to that. Tomorrow I'll tell my boss I'm taking my vacation."

Relief washed over Brick; she would live like royalty in that time. Whatever she wanted, he would provide. Whatever it took to earn her forgiveness. "We'll leave on Thursday, spend two weeks together, and return on September fifth."

Blossom nodded. "It's a plan." One he intended to stick to if the sincerity in his tone was any indication. Still, Brick wasn't completely off the hook. Being dismissed so easily had hurt a lot, and would continue to hurt unless he admitted why he'd done it. Although the sun had set the sand was still warm beneath her feet when she came to a stop, searching his eyes. "Brick, are you working for the Morbucks family?"

He stood frozen for the five longest seconds of his life. She _knew_. How long had she known? Wait, it didn't matter because the answer was no, he was not currently working for Max. If she said "were" or "had been" he would've answered honestly with a yes. He no longer wanted to lie to Blossom about anything, and saying no would not be a lie… yet it wasn't the whole truth, either. But she hadn't asked about _then_ , she asked about _now_. His palms were clammy and his stomach churned with guilt and anxiety. He couldn't meet her gaze. "No, I'm not."

Blossom lifted her chin, staring down at him even though he was seven inches taller than her. Brick felt as if she judged his very soul, weighing all the good and bad he'd done in his life. She knew everything about him, his past and present, who he'd been when he arrived in Townsville versus who he was at this moment. She weathered his icy persona and got to know him, drawing out some warmer qualities. He stood bare before her, awaiting her verdict, hoping she saw that he was his own man and not a tool; never again would he let anyone use him to do their dirty work. Brick couldn't continue living that life if it meant Blossom regarded him like she did now. Like she shouldn't forgive him for hurting her.

"Promise me," she eventually spoke. "Promise me you didn't come back to do a job for Mr. Morbucks."

Brick took up both her hands to channel his honesty into them. "Blossom, I promise I'm here because I want to be. My brothers and I are staying in Townsville of our own volition."

"Hmm." Oh god, that noise meant she didn't believe him. She knew Brick was a filthy, horrid, self-serving liar. "If you say so…" Blossom uttered, turning on her heel.

Brick could do nothing but watch her walk away. She returned to her party where her real friends who never misled her or attempted to tear her down out of spite greeted her with smiles and open arms. How had he deluded himself into believing he could be like them, a normal, ordinary teenager? There wasn't room for other people in his heart of stone. For the first time ever he felt its weight in his chest, and it ached.

* * *

Max waited until the day before their senior year began to summon the Ruffs to his home. As soon as the doors to the gaudy office closed, Boomer got comfortable in a chair while Butch inspected knick-knacks adorning the shelves, and Brick stood with his arms folded. Max finished signing a few documents before focusing on them. "Nice to see you again, Boys. I presume you know why you're here?"

"The other half of your payment is almost a month overdue," Brick said in a tone conveying his nearly-depleted tolerance for the man.

"For which I hope you accept my sincerest apologies. There were a few issues regarding the acquisition of the Project X collective and their intellectual properties." Boomer's brow furrowed minutely. "It's nothing you need concern yourselves with, of course. Here's the remainder of what I owe you." Brick folded the check in two and stuck it in his wallet as Max looked contemplative. "You know, there's a lot more money where that comes from. You could earn an even larger cut if you agreed to help protect my assets." Butch glanced over at that. "How about it? You and I, a permanent partnership? You'd never have to work for anyone but me again."

Brick shook his head. "I regret to inform you that we'll never be signing another contract. We're retired."

A guffaw filled the office. "Retired?! At _your_ age?! But there's still so much you can do! So much wealth, power, and prestige to acquire! The entire world could be yours for the taking– you can have _anything_ you want!"

"What we want is to graduate high school and start living our lives," Boomer said. "So thanks for the offer, but no thanks."

Max nodded. "Education is a worthwhile pursuit. I commend you for sticking with it." They started to leave. "By the way, I heard you're vacating Evergreen Tower. Don't feel obliged to move out just because our business is finished. As far as tenants go you three were some of the kindest to that suite. I'll gladly offer you reduced rent to stay."

Brick denied him this time. "It doesn't quite feel like home."

"Suit yourselves," he shrugged. "Take care, Rowdyruffs."

They returned to the penthouse to ensure their belongings were packed and ready for transport. Boomer had found a loft above a nightclub downtown. Rent was cheap because everyone soon tired of the noise, but it was perfect for him. Butch was heading to an upscale apartment complex with amenities including a pool, gym, rooftop terrace, and secure underground parking for his car. Brick would be renting a bungalow right on the waterfront so he could come and go across the ocean as he pleased.

The brothers convened in the now-empty living room while movers carried their last few boxes onto the elevator. "Guess that's everything…" Boomer checked his phone for the zillionth time, frowning.

"Nothin' from Bubbles?" Butch also checked his Nervo. No new messages from his love interest.

"Yeah, it's weird. She _always_ texts or calls me back. She was super excited to see the loft."

"Buttercup 'n the guys said they'd help set up my new place, too." They both faced Brick. "You heard from Blossom since orientation?"

"No." He expected as much since things were more than a bit frosty between them upon returning from Mazatlan. Blossom acted polite during their senior orientation earlier that same day and congratulated him on getting his own house, but her guard was obviously up around the Boys. Brick couldn't even say she was wrong about them because she was right. If she'd agree to hear him out, let him explain everything, maybe she'd understand and they could go back to how they were. After situating his bedroom he dialed Blossom's number, unsurprised when it went to voicemail. Fine, he'd wait until tomorrow to speak to her in person.

Monday, September 9th, the Ruffs flew to Townsville High where everyone they hadn't regularly hung out with over summer break exclaimed how nice it was to see them again. Boomer signed up for Yearbook Club, Butch was already on the football team following tryouts, and Brick considered running for student council again with Wes but not Susie, who wanted to slack off that year. People kept approaching the brothers to ask the same question: had they seen the Powerpuff Girls that morning? It wasn't like them to be late on the first day of school.

First period, no Puffs. Second period, no Puffs. Third period, first lunch, fourth period… None of the three Powerpuff Girls had appeared in anyone's classes. Brick watched Boomer spend most of second lunch texting and calling Bubbles with no response. "Dammit, what's going on? Why won't she answer me? Y'know what, fuck it. I'm going to their house." Brick wordlessly flew at his side. The seed of anxiety planted in his gut that morning had grown into full-blown dread. Something was wrong. Something had happened to the Girls.

What had he done?

There was no answer when Boomer rang the bell, then knocked. He experimentally turned the handle and found the front door unlocked, shooting Brick a worried look. Inside they were struck by the stillness of the typically-lively Utonium home. All the lights were off, the curtains closed, not a single thing out of place. Books on shelves, dishes in cupboards, clothes on hangers. They checked every room except the laboratory, but then it occurred to Boomer to simply bypass the biometric locks. "It's empty…" he relayed after scanning it with his X-ray vision. "The lab is totally empty. Where are they, Brick?"

"I wish I knew." Worse than not knowing where the Utoniums had gone was not knowing how to find them. Brick and Boomer returned to school, the former holding himself together much better than the latter despite trepidation brewing in his stomach. Then, as students finished filing into Brick's fifth-period technology class, he saw someone who might be able to help. "Dexter!" He almost tackled the boy before composing himself. "Dexter, you worked on the Nervo prototype, right? You're an expert on it?"

"Ah, yes, I suppose I am…" The fellow redhead adjusted his glasses. "Have we ever spoken before, Brick?"

"I don't believe so," he admitted, "but is there a way to track the location of a specific phone?"

Dexter owlishly tilted his head. "I didn't know Blossom had a Nervo."

"I got it for her birthday, a special color. I thought I might find her if I found her phone. I need to know if she and her sisters are okay."

Dexter withdrew his personal laptop from its case and claimed a secluded corner seat. "I can't track the precise location of Blossom's Nervo because all data sent and received, including GPS info, is encrypted using the same quantum technology as the Aegis network. But I _can_ access some towers to see if it has pinged off any of them. That'll give you a general vicinity, at least." Brick had no chance of discerning the information flooding the monitor. "You said her Nervo is a special color? If it's a limited edition it'll have a unique signature. Do you know which model number it was?"

"Five-hundred," Brick supplied.

"Five-hundred, five-hundred… It's purple, isn't it? That's her favorite color." A pause. "It doesn't look like she's used any of the metro towers today. I'll widen the search." It took most of the period to achieve a result; both boys had to act like they were paying attention while their teacher went through the syllabus. Dexter kept his voice low. "Brick, I think I found it. Blossom's Nervo last signaled the tower in the northern outskirts of Townsville, near the industrial shipping yard. Why would she be there?"

"She might not be there willingly." Brick committed the location to memory before grabbing his bag to leave.

Dexter gulped. "You're going right now?"

"Yes."

"Wait!" Brick paused. "Please let me know if you find the Powerpuffs. Here's my number."

He ducked his head. "Will do. And thanks for your help."

It took a single silent command for Butch and Boomer to gather their things and ditch school without hesitation, flanking their leader on their way to the shipping yard. There were hundreds of buildings and warehouses to search, but again the process was expedited by an X-ray sweep. "There," Boomer pointed, "that one looks weird." The structure itself was innocuous enough but inside was a clean lobby featuring an information desk, body scanners, and armed men on the perimeter. There was also an elevator at the rear of the room, implying it led below ground.

Brick motioned for them to land, spying multiple cameras and exclusive keycard access. He pressed the button on the intercom and said, "Open the door right now or we'll do it for you."

An inappropriately-cheerful feminine voice responded. "That won't be necessary, you've been granted guest access to this facility. Please wait a moment." Right when the steel panel slid aside to let them in, the armed men pointed SMGs at them.

Butch snorted. "Cute."

"Lower your weapons, please," the receptionist ordered, "the director has been expecting the Rowdyruff Boys." The men obeyed her.

"Who's the director?" Brick inquired.

"He'll meet you on one of the lower levels," she answered, flashing a too-large smile. "You'll find a map inside the elevator. It's voice activated so just tell it where you'd like to go. Have a nice day!"

The map revealed that the facility went quite deep into the earth. "What the fuck _is_ this place?" Boomer muttered. "Cryo Storage? Biochemistry Lab? Specimen Maintenance?"

Brick repeated that last one and the elevator descended, his stomach twisting itself into knots. For someone so observant Boomer missed the fact that they had found a genetic research center, a rather shady one given the look of things. The doors opened to a tiny lobby with yet another receptionist seated at a desk. Behind him was a window to a room full of animal cages. Upon realizing who he faced, his eyes widened and he tapped his headset. "The Rowdyruff Boys are here, Professor."

Professor Utonium! Finally they could get some answers.

Or so they thought. It was a woman, not a man, who greeted them. She appeared completely average and unassuming except for her striking blue eyes. She wore glasses and her dark brown hair was secured in a neat bun with a pen stuck into it. "Oh, how long I've wanted to meet you three," she beamed. "I'm aware that you have no idea who I am but I know all about you. You could almost consider me your grandmother."

They were taken aback by that assertion. _"What?"_

"My name is Professor Joan Newtronium. I worked with John to develop the compound that changed Mojo into the hyper-intelligent simian that created you." The warmth in her smile disappeared. "You wouldn't exist if not for me."

"Who the fuck is John?" Butch blurted.

Boomer elbowed him. "That's Professor Utonium's first name, dumbass."

Brick ignored their name-calling, inching toward Professor Newtronium. "You… helped create Mojo Jojo?"

"In a sense. All John and I did was enhance his neural functionality to near-sapient levels of cognizance. My colleagues are attempting to replicate those results in different animal species. Would you like a tour of this floor?"

"We don't give a shit about that!" Boomer exclaimed. "Where are the Powerpuff Girls? They're here, right?"

Joan eyed him narrowly, frigidly. "Yes, they're here." Brick caught the way she flinched when his siblings moved as if to leap on her. Not so collected, after all. "But there's a specific procedure for visiting them."

"Show us." The trio trailed her through Specimen Maintenance, a cacophony of beastly screeches assaulting their ears. It unnerved them to hear garbled words among the clamor. The next section was eerily quiet. The rooms on either side were larger, almost like prison cells with their accommodations, and a few had human occupants. Their impression of the facility was getting worse by the second.

The professor led them into a decontamination chamber. "Here we are. You must first relinquish any electronic items. Phones, watches, Blutooth devices…" Simple enough. "Step two is to cleanse you of foreign contaminants. Stand in the capsule, close your eyes and hold your breath, and go through when it beeps." The third part of the procedure gave Brick pause for concern. Newtronium pressed some buttons on a panel and a small delivery tube whooshed in from elsewhere, dispensing three vials filled with viscous green liquid.

The Boys hedged as she proffered them. "What's that stuff?"

"The visitation chamber has strictly-regulated environmental settings," she explained. "This compound will help you adjust to the pressure, temperature, and oxygen levels."

"Why aren't you taking it?"

"I've already acclimated. Just prick your arms." She watched them too keenly, but seeing the Girls was worth injecting themselves with the suspicious liquid. Newtronium used her keycard to access the room, a sterile space with a ballistic glass divider in the middle. "Send in the Powerpuffs, please," she said to someone on the other end of her headset.

Bubbles was the first to enter, gasping and bursting into tears at the sight of Boomer as they met at the barrier. "Hey, Sugar…" he breathed in relief, but tensed when he took in the rest of her appearance. There were dark circles beneath her bloodshot eyes. She wore a plain white T-shirt, white pants, and was barefoot. He spotted needle marks along her forearms, plus bruises, rashes, and burn blisters. "What the hell is this?" he whispered, already vibrating with anger.

"Boomer…" she sniffled, "this place… it's a nightmare. Get us out! Please save us!"

"Knock it off, Bubbles." Buttercup came to stand behind her sister with her arms tightly crossed, radiating hate. "He's not gonna do anything when he's one of the reasons why we're here. You shouldn't even be talking to him." Boomer glanced between them in complete confusion.

Butch placed a hand on the glass next. "What's goin' on, Butters?"

"Don't act like you don't know!" she spat.

He spread his arms. "We got no clue what this place even is! Throw me a bone here!"

She shot him the most venomous glare imaginable. "If I had my powers I'd throw the three of you into a black hole and watch you become _nothing_. Fucking traitors."

If she had her powers…? "They dosed you?" Butch tried.

"No shit! How else would they be able to do _this_ to us?!" Buttercup tore off her shirt and hurled it at the divide. Butch paled at the symmetrical sets of fresh stitches decorating her lower abdomen as Brick covered his mouth with one hand, nauseous. "I look _sooo_ pretty now that I've been vivisected, right? Bet you _love_ seeing me so powerless, right, Butch?"

He closed his gaping mouth, turning to Professor Newtronium. "What's 'vivisected' mean?" She remained tight-lipped, staring at the wall with something akin to regret on her visage.

Brick spoke through his fingers. "A vivisection is when one cuts into a living body as opposed to dissecting a cadaver." Bile rose in his throat. "Why did they…?"

Buttercup was seething with rage so Bubbles provided the explanation, trying to maintain a steady tone. "The scientists wanted to take our eggs and put them in other women 'cause they thought they'd give birth superpowered babies, except… we don't have any eggs. We're infertile."

"What the… seriously?" Boomer could scarcely comprehend what she just said. Bubbles sobbed silently, her lower lip trembling, and she refused to meet his eyes. The fact that she looked _ashamed_ of herself for being violated sparked an emotion too intense to name. Boomer spun around and had a grip on Professor Newtronium's throat before the action fully registered, but when it did and he decided he was going to kill her, electricity didn't surge through her like it was supposed to. He released her the next instant, staring at his useless hands. "What did you do? What'd you do to us?!" Brick tried igniting a flame and Butch attempted to generate a shield, both to no avail.

"The compound you took before entering this room contained Antidote X," the woman answered, rubbing her neck. "It was the director's order to ensure you couldn't use your abilities to remove the Powerpuff Girls from this facility."

Which was _exactly_ what they would be doing right now. "Who is the director?" Brick demanded. "Who do you work for?"

"Maximilian Morbucks is in charge here." Blossom stood in the shadow of the doorway, as far as she could place herself from the Ruffs. "I refuse to believe you weren't aware of that since you spent so much time working for him. You pretended to be our friends only to sell us out to him."

That statement confirmed every single one of Brick's fears. Crushing guilt sent him to his knees. "Blossom, I swear I didn't know. I didn't know what Max wanted, I didn't know he was after you! You have to believe me– I wouldn't have accepted the job if I knew this would happen! Please, I'm sorry, I had no idea…"

The look she gave him was glacial. "Then you chose to be ignorant, and that's a choice I'll never forgive you for making."

Brick sat there on the floor, oblivious to his brothers cursing and threatening Professor Newtronium. His head was swimming, gut wrenching, vision tunneling. He had betrayed the trust of the Powerpuff Girls by handing them to Max on a silver platter. There was no way to undo that, to go back in time and refuse the contract, to fix what he'd broken. The price of his ignorance was too high to ever repay. No matter what he did following this moment, if he somehow managed to rescue the Puffs from the clutches of these twisted scientists, they still suffered because of him. Chemical X couldn't heal every scar.

"Brick, snap out of it." Boomer shook him, eliciting no response. "C'mon, let's go. We need to think of a plan." He didn't move a muscle so Boomer smacked his cheek. "Brick! God dammit, we need you!"

"He's gonna be gone for a while, Bro," Butch quietly remarked. He hauled Brick over his shoulders in a fireman's carry. "He'll come back soon."

"Good. We're gonna need him when we blow this place to hell." They retrieved their personal belongings, then Boomer shoved past Professor Newtronium after she swiped her keycard at the exit. He heard her footsteps tracking them and rounded on her. "You got that, lady? As soon as that green shit wears off we're gonna come back here and destroy everything. You're all going to _die_."

She remained stoic. "I wouldn't advise that. The Antidote X dose lasts for twenty-four hours. By then the Powerpuff Girls will have been moved to a different facility. If you attack us, you'll be designated as murderers and domestic terrorists."

"Worth it," Butch growled.

"Is it, really?" He and Boomer whirled to find Max sneering at them from the end of the hall. "You should have accepted my offer to protect my assets, that way you'd get to work alongside the Powerpuffs as their security force." He sighed dramatically. "Hindsight is twenty-twenty. So much for that enhanced vision of yours."

Boomer marched up to Max but without his powers he wasn't very intimidating. "Why do you want the Girls?"

"Oh, it's very straightforward. I'm going to use them for their intended purpose as biological weapons. After a bit of training and conditioning they'll be able to assist clients around the globe with their problems, by force if necessary."

"You're going to loan them to the highest bidders?!" Boomer drove a fist into the wall beside his head. "You can't do that! They're _people!_ You can't _sell_ people!"

"Thousands of years of slavery say otherwise." Max smirked as the boy winced at his bruised knuckles. "The Powerpuffs are now my intellectual property. I own them, therefore I can use them however I wish. I also own Chemical X, Antidote X, and the newly-developed Chemical Y. You could've been profiting off the sales slated to begin next week. I _was_ going to extend the offer of partnership again, but now that I know you're emotionally invested in the Girls, I don't need you three sabotaging my enterprises. In fact, I'll have Joan escort you out now."

"Fucking fat piece of shit…" Boomer hissed. Bubbles would've berated him for that. He and Butch wordlessly trailed Newtronium through the animal laboratory, peaceful now that they'd been sedated. She claimed a corner of the elevator while the Boys fumed.

"We can go to the medical floor if you want to have Brick examined," she suggested.

"Don't need to," Butch said, "he's just in shock. He got like this once before, the first time he killed somebody. Melted the guy's face right off." Joan grimaced and he grinned, revealing his sharp canines. "I don't think you have a single clue what we're capable of when we get really fuckin' pissed."

"Like when I find out my girlfriend and her sisters are being _tortured_ ," Boomer said, his dark eyes glinting.

The woman raised her hands. Suddenly it didn't seem like such a great idea to be in a confined space with the Rowdyruffs despite one of them being out for the count. "Okay, I understand your feelings are bit more profound than I initially observed. You want to save the Powerpuff Girls. I can help you."

"How?" they asked in unison.

"For one thing, I can tell you where they're being transferred. It's a paramilitary facility in Nevada."

"Paramilitary?" Butch echoed.

"Yes. The Morbucks employ their own elite forces, a private army. Max was hoping you'd become part of it."

"Give us the coordinates."

Joan shrank back. "I don't know them off the top of my head! Even if I did, you would fail if you attacked it directly. There are countermeasures I can tell you how to avoid. However…" She drew herself up. "I would like a favor in return for this information."

Brick unexpectedly let out a scornful laugh. "No such thing as something for nothing… Put me down, Butch." His brother obliged, the elevator doors opening to the lobby. Newtronium hastily instructed it to descend again so they could keep talking. "What do you want from us, Professor?"

She didn't answer right away, her gaze lingering on each of them in turn. "Did you know the Powerpuff Girls aren't the world's first superhumans?"

Butch blinked. "It wasn't us."

"No, it wasn't you, either. I'm responsible for laying the foundation that Mojo Jojo used to design you. Before Chemical X, there was Chemical W. That compound is what John and I initially tested on Mojo and other chimpanzees. It was unstable, rapidly degrading and leaving most of the subjects brain dead. John rectified the degenerative effects with X, but I was determined to perfect W. We had a difference of opinion and I left his collective to join this one personally overseen by Maximilian."

Brick studied her. "You're Professor Utonium's disgraced former colleague who leaked the notes on X to the world. You were exiled from the scientific community." Newtronium defiantly lifted her chin but Brick was used to receiving that expression from Blossom, so he met it with a hard look of his own. "What did you do?"

"I injected Chemical W into human embryos without permission." She sighed, shoulders slumping. "They're out there in the world, my babies. Two boys and two girls with extraordinary abilities surpassing both yours and the Powerpuffs. Please don't take offense to that, it's true. I can give you dossiers with everything you need to locate them."

"You want us to find your super kids in exchange for giving us inside info that'll help us rescue the Girls." Boomer glowered at her. "What the fuck do we need _you_ for? Max is only human."

"A human with more resources and assets than you," she countered. "You have no idea what he plans to do with Chemical X. He's—" The elevator came to an abrupt halt, throwing the four occupants off-balance. "Medical Division," Newtronium dictated after fixing her glasses. Nothing happened. "Sequencing Lab." Still nothing. "Lobby?" As if taking a moment to consider her request, the elevator moved upward. "How odd. I'd better contact maintenance… Are communications down, too?" With a frustrated huff she moved the headset off her ear. The elevator stopped and revealed the Specimen Maintenance level once again. "I suppose we can wait here until comms are restored," Joan suggested.

Without warning the overhead lights shut off and a blaring alarm rang out, Brick clamping his hands over his ears since he could feel a migraine following his fugue state. "What the hell is going on?!"

"Some kind of breach!" Newtronium entered the lab with the Boys on her heels. All the animals were screaming again, louder than before, and red beacons blinded them from every angle. Eventually they made it to the section of panicking human specimens but the professor ignored them, running back to the corridor connected to the Powerpuff Girls' quarters. That hallway had an emergency exit, but they didn't get the chance to reach it. The wall to their left exploded.

The blast threw the four of them to the opposite side, pelting them with chunks of concrete and rebar. Butch narrowly avoided being impaled while bodily shielding his brothers. Once the shock wave subsided Brick spared the professor a glance, seeing her legs trapped beneath a hefty piece of debris and a stream of blood trickling out from under it. He knelt to remove it but then froze because an authoritative voice told him to.

"Don't help her." It was feminine, deep, and lightly accented. Two figures coalesced among the haze, coming into focus as the dust settled. One of the young women was very slender and pale with silver eyes and sleek white hair, about as tall as Butch. The shorter girl, the one who spoke, had warm brown skin, a muscular build, violet eyes, and aqua-colored hair that was incredibly garish compared to their surroundings. Blossom and Buttercup were tucked under her arms and her accomplice held Bubbles. All three Puffs appeared unconscious. "You're the Rowdyruff Boys." A statement, not a question. "Didn't think you'd be here, but you'll be hearing from us soon." They promptly vanished, a gust of air indicating they'd taken flight.

Brick scrambled to his feet to enter the space they had just occupied, standing at the bottom of a cylindrical shaft with blue sky high overhead. It was as if a giant laser or plasma cutter or _something_ with the ability to vaporize solid material shot straight through the underground facility from the surface to where the Puffs had been held.

"What the _fuck_ was that?" Butch gawked. "Did those chicks just take our girls?!"

"They totally did…" Boomer said, still processing the situation.

A cry from Professor Newtronium drew their attention. "Please, get me up. Don't leave me like this!"

They couldn't exactly navigate the facility without her keycard, which Brick plucked off her lapel. "Those two just did what you prevented us from accomplishing by taking the Powerpuffs away from this place. As far as I'm concerned, you're of no use to us now."

The woman scoffed, wheezing. "So arrogant, just as Max described you. You think you know so much but your world's about to change… for you _and_ the Powerpuffs now that they're not in his possession. He'll do anything to get them back. If you listen to what Une and Tvaer tell you… you'll be targeted, too."

Brick knelt beside her. "Une and Tvaer? Those are their names?"

"Yes… my baby girls. I never thought they'd return here willingly." Joan shifted and let out another whimper of pain. "If they lead you to their brothers… you'll be able to bring them all back to me. They belong with me, not out there. They _need_ me."

"Doesn't seem like it," Boomer remarked. "Seems like they want you to suffer."

"I've been suffering since they disappeared, not knowing whether they were alive or dead." She blinked slowly, reaching up. "Boys, please… Help me and I'll help you."

Brick stood. "We don't need you. We wouldn't assist someone who dosed us with Antidote X, anyway." It was different than taking it of their own volition. They headed for the stairwell.

"It was Blossom!" Newtronium shouted. They halted. "That compound was designed to affect you specifically. We didn't engineer it here, we found it in John's lab." Her head lolled, a partial sneer turning her lips. "Blossom told me she asked him to make it in case you three went rogue. Almost like she _never_ trusted you."

Yes she had, up until last month. That's why the look she gave Brick pained him, condemning him for the gross betrayal of her trust. He deserved having his powers nullified and feeling weak and helpless, but he still had hope. Hope that the Puffs were safe with their Chemical W progenitors and he'd get the chance to apologize to them in person, although nothing he said could ever make amends for the time they spent in captivity. Besides, Brick wasn't naïve enough to believe his blood sample had been exclusively used to sequence his genome. He felt no animosity toward Blossom.

The Ruffs eventually left the facility, climbing the mostly-intact emergency stairs to the surface. They found themselves a ways away from where they'd entered the subterranean structure, evading both emergency response teams and shipyard workers flocking to the hole in the ground. "What now, Bro?" Butch questioned once they stopped at a convenience store, earning strange looks for being covered in dirt and blood.

"We should wait to move until Une and Tvaer contact us," Brick decided. "We have no idea what they did with the Girls."

"They saved them." Boomer folded his arms, pouting. "That was supposed to be _our_ job. Bubbles begged me to save her but I couldn't do _anything!_ "

"I think there's still a chance to do right by them, act like heroes for once. We can prevent Max from getting his hands on them again." Brick's projected confidence waned. "I'm sorry I blanked back there."

Butch patted him. "It sucks knowin' they hate us. We fucked up real bad."

"You two did nothing wrong," Brick refuted. "It's my fault, all of this. Everything leading up to now was my decision."

Boomer scowled at him. "Stop _doing_ that. You don't get to shoulder all the blame."

"Yes I do. I'm the oldest and the most responsible." They each sighed for different reasons.

Retirement had been nice while it lasted.


End file.
